Early Start to Swarming Season?

Catherine Ross, NBC 5 News

One Arlington, Texas family says it only took about three hours for a swarm of two thousand honey bees to take over its mailbox. Beekeepers say the swarming season may be beginning early this year.

Thousands of Bees Swarm Arlington Mailbox

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The honey bee swarming season may be buzzing into neighborhoods in DFW earlier than expect this spring.

"They want to find a home," said beekeeper Christine Garcia of Bee Charmer, based in Boyd, TX.

"They want to find a home in a barbecue grill, a mailbox, a wall of a house."

Garcia was called to Arlington on Sunday, after the Aguilar family returned home after about three hours to find its mailbox newly covered in honey bees.

"[We] came home and saw a swarm of bees," said Hank Aguilar.

"[I'd] never seen anything like this before."

Garcia tells NBC5 the warmer temperatures this month may have contributed to an earlier start to swarming season, which usually runs through March, April and May.

She says the swarm of bees is following one queen, and searching for a place for the queen to rest.

Garcia removed about two thousand honey bees from the Aguilar home.

The majority of those insects will end up at her honey farm.

She says because bees can see humans approaching and feel the vibration of footsteps, it's best to call in a professional for removal, instead of risking agitating the swarm.