Buzzing neighborhood: Some Queen Creek residents bothered by bee swarm at orchard

Bees causing quite a negative buzz for one far East Valley neighborhood

Bees placed at an orchard in Queen Creek for pollination purposes are causing some problems for people who live in the area. FOX 10's Matt Galka reports.

QUEEN CREEK, Ariz. - The buzz in one Queen Creek development isn’t exactly making neighbors feel as sweet as honey, as they were surprised about the number of bees swarming their neighborhood.

The residents live next to an orchard, but the citrus isn’t the reason for the hives.

"We woke up and the cars were covered. Red, yellow and brown," said Justin Hagerty.

Hagerty says within the last week or so, bees have been swarming the vehicles in the neighborhood.

"Did some research with some other neighbors. We’re in orange groves, or previous orange groves, and come to find out, it's bee poop," said Hagerty.

Dozens of hives were placed in the old orchard behind the neighborhood by a beekeeper, but neighbors didn’t know until they saw it with their own eyes.

"You can be out a couple of hours and come back, and it’s just covered," said Hagerty.

FOX 10 has reached out to the beekeeper, Grant Brewer, who said he has a deal with the grower on the orchard property to let bees pollinate the citrus. He’d like to keep them there for a couple more weeks.

"If they’re OK with them being there for two weeks, then great," said Brewer, in a phone interview. "If I need to move them out sooner, it’ll be a little bit more of a problem."

"From what we understand, they’ll be there for a couple more weeks. That’s just our concern. Where are they coming from? How long are they going to be here? That sort of thing," said Hagerty.