Deadly bee attack worries dog owners

KATY, TX (KTRK) -- A weekend bee attack that killed three dogs has homeowners across our area wondering how to keep the threat out of their yards. The dogs died in the backyard of their Wood Creek Estates home in Katy. Authorities say the dogs were stung hundreds of times.

Bees in hives are one thing, but when they get into your home or a tree in your yard, they can become a huge problem.

The bees at Lisa Marcelli's house moved in while she was away on vacation.

"The woman watching my house sent me a text and said you have a bee problem and I was pretty surprised because when I left they were not there," Marcelli said.

Thousands of bees found their way into the space between the garage and the upstairs storage area through a gap in the facade.

Houston Beekeeper Shelley Rice says you can prevent this from happening.

"Take a survey of the exterior of your home walk it and look for breaks in caulking especially between the brick and the siding that's a place where need will usually go first," Rice said.

Rice says seal the cracks with caulk.

Trees are another problem area for homeowners. Hollow trees are the perfect spot for bees, as we saw at one home in the middle of a Bellaire neighborhood. Rice recommends filling the gap in a tree with old cloth and sealing it with foam designed for these types of jobs.

"Seal it and then paint over it you can also tack wiring around the opening of it to close it off," she said.

Rice says if bees have already moved in, get help.

"Don't make this a do-it-yourself, save money thing. Reach out for help because there are a lot of people who will come and help," she said.

So if you do find bees, call the Houston Beekeepers Association or the Harris County Beekeepers Association to have the bees removed properly. Also, check out the Houston Museum of Natural Science's event in honor of National Pollinator Week.