Toafa Faimalo-Tai describes the moment she discovered a giant beehive on her Conifer Grove property. Beekeeper Rose Weir says it’s the biggest feral hive she’s ever seen.

Beekeepers are abuzz about one of the biggest feral hives they've ever seen.

Toafa Faimalo-Tai was enjoying a family gathering when commotion erupted at her Conifer Grove, Auckland, property.

Around 20 friends and family were celebrating her son's 13th birthday last month when the giant beehive, around a metre long, was spotted behind a patio trellis.

Nigel Moffiet Papatoetoe beekeeper Rose Weir is amazed at the discovery of the feral Italian beehive which is the biggest she has ever seen.

She was shocked, she says.

"We had a lot of family around here and I had no idea what they were looking at. I just felt more scared than anything, I've never seen anything like it...I was telling everyone to back off and get away."

Faimalo-Tai says she hadn't noticed any more buzzing than usual but the fence had been covered with a tarpaulin, hiding all the activity.

Nigel Moffiet Toafa Faimalo-Tai discovered the giant beehive behind the patio area of her Conifer Grove home.

Her grandchildren had reported strange sightings in the past but she thought they were "exaggerating".

"They said 'nana, there's a big bee, there's a big bee' and I thought there's no big bees like that," she says.

She rang Auckland Council and was put in touch with Papatoetoe beekeeper Rose Weir.

"I said I have a beautiful beehive and I'm freaking out."

Weir has been a beekeeper for 13 years and says the feral hive, constructed by Italian honey bees, is the biggest she's ever seen.

"I can't believe how big it is...it's beautifully built and it's joined into all the sticks. It's exciting how they've constructed it."

Weir quickly put the family's concerns to rest.

"Only if you shook it would they get stroppy ... as long as the kids don't wave their arms around."

She's planning to remove the hive in a few weeks. Just before winter is a good time to take action and prevent varroa​ mite taking control and killing the swarm, she says.

She's impressed the swarm is doing so well.

"Genetically, the queen bee must be very strong as well as the rest of the bees."

EXPERTS AMAZED

Bee experts agree the Conifer Grove hive is one of the biggest.

New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research apicultural scientist Michelle Taylor says the hive, which could contain 60,000 to 80,000 bees, is "very impressive".

Only once, around 10 years ago, has she seen a feral beehive of similar size in willow trees in the Hawke's Bay.

"Annual feral colonies are common but due to varroa​ these colonies normally last between nine and 15 months.

"If the wax frames are not destroyed, which is unusual especially in this case since the colony is exposed to the environment making access for mammals easy, then it is common for another swarm to be attracted to the same location the following spring."

The wax is often eaten by possums and rats once the bees die, she says.

Taylor says the bees are likely to be from a swarm this past spring but the wax frames could be two to four seasons old.

National Beekeepers Association Auckland chairman Graham Cammell​ says it's also one of the biggest feral hives he's ever laid eyes on.

"It's bigger than what I expected, that's for sure."