Apiary Complaints
Staff from the County of San Luis Obispo Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures will respond to questions or complaints regarding aggressive or excessive bee activity related to a specific apiary or set of beehives in San Luis Obispo County. The response will focus on ensuring that the requirements listed in the San Luis Obispo County Ordinance Title 5 Agriculture Chapter 5.04 BEES are met.
Our department is unable to remove wild bees, yellow jackets, or feral honeybee hives from walls, stumps, trees, or other like places. We are also unable to collect swarms of honeybees that may be at your property. If you suspect that you have a honeybee swarm on your property, please see the FAQ located below, under "What do I do if I see a swarm?
Contact the Department of Agriculture/Weights and Measures Office by phone or e-mail to file a complaint. For life threatening stinging incidents, please call 911.
When and where is this service offered?
This service is available throughout the year during regular business hours except during scheduled holidays.
Location, directions and hours of operation
Click on location name to show hours of operation, directions and phone information
Monday - Friday 8-4
810 West Branch
Arroyo Grande, CA 93420
Tel: (805) 473-7090
Fax: (805) 473-7094
Monday - Friday 8-5
2156 Sierra Way
San Luis Obispo , CA 93401
Tel: (805) 781-5910
Fax: (805) 781-1035
Monday - Friday 8-4
350 North Main Street
Templeton, CA 93465
Tel: (805) 434-5950
Fax: (805) 434-5953
FAQS
A bee swarm is an event that happens every year in just about all beehives. In the early spring of each year, honeybees produce new queens. Once the new queens have been produced, the old queen leaves the hive taking with her a portion of the hive’s population. This group of worker bees, drones, and the old queen is a known as a swarm. The swarm will set out in search of a suitable location to start a new hive. During the search the group may land and form a mass while a few of the bees continue to search for a suitable location. This mass of bees may stay in an area for up to a few days before moving on.
If you see a swarm, leave it alone. The bees will usually move on in a few days to a week once their scouts have found a suitable location to build a new hive. If the swarm does not move on and begins building a hive on your property or enters a structure, you may try contacting our county's local beekeeper association at the link below. Please keep in mind that their services may incur a fee. You may also refer to a licensed pest control company.
Run in a straight line, cover your head and seek shelter in the closest possible place. Remove the stingers as soon as possible by scraping them off with your fingernail or a credit card. Do not attempt to pull the stinger with tweezers or your fingers as this will inject more venom. Wash the area with soap and water and apply ice to reduce swelling. If you are allergic to bees or have been stung multiple times, seek medical attention immediately.
To protect yourself and your family from bees: Remain alert for bees when outdoors, use caution when around bees and respect all bees. Eliminate all potential nesting sites by sealing off gaps in walls, chimneys, and around plumbing. Discourage bees from making your home their home. Inspect eaves of structures for signs of bees. Watch for regular entrance and exit routes used by bees If chased by a bee swarm, run away in a straight line, cover your head and face with your shirt or jacket, and seek protection in an enclosed structure or car. Call a pest control company if you find a hive in an area where people, pets or livestock could be harmed. Pest control companies are listed in the yellow pages of your local telephone directory.
