Local News

Swarm of bees overcome South Florida backyard

Posted: 03/11/09 at 7:55 am EDT

DAVIE, Fla. (WSVN) -- A South Florida family has requested help from officials after a swarm of bees invaded their backyard.

Jeanie Fox never goes to her backyard without her "bee whacker." Just outside the window, the sound is unmistakable. "You can't go in the backyard. We can't let our little dogs out," said Fox.

"They're swarming on top of you and you can't do anything. They can sting you. I'm afraid to go in the backyard," added homeowner Melvin Gordon.

The family has pets that are also at risk. "I have one dog that got two or three stings bites on him," said Fox.

The home is so badly invaded, it has become a public safety hazard. "The dogs next door have been bit, the kids across the street are afraid to come out and play when they see the swarm of bees, so it is becoming quite a large issue," said Tiffany Richards of the Davie Police Department.

"It is a big job, and I'm on Social Security, and she's on SSI for disability, and we can't afford that kind of money," said Gordon. In this case, Richards and the Special Operations Unit of the Davie Police Department came out with a response atypical of your normal police unit.

The department called the well known beekeeper Willy the Bee man to come out on Thursday to do the job pro bono. "Anytime that we can help out the residents when they have special issues and stuff like that, we are more than happy to. That's why we're here," said Richards.

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