Bee swarms are a natural phenomenon which occurs especially from spring to early summer. Swarming happens when a bee colony splits in two to reproduce.
A bee swarm can be an amazing thing to witness, as masses of bees emerge from their hive like a giant cloud. From their original hive, the bee swarms fly a short distance to hang onto something like a tree branch.
The swarm process is natural and inevitable. It is induced by the queen bee once she knows the time is right for the hive to reproduce.
If you get a bee swarm in your garden, try not to feel alarmed. The bees are not being aggressive; they are simply moving to a new stage in their life.
Although it is just a normal part of the life cycle of a beehive, bee swarms can cause problems for humans when they move into our gardens and backyards. It is always best to report a swarm cluster to a pest control operator or a local beekeeper.
What to do if you have a bee swarm in your garden
If the bees are still flying, keep out of your garden until they have stopped moving and clustered on a treebranch or other object. Make sure your children and pets are also inside. This should only take about half an hour.
When the swarm has clustered and become immobile, there is usually no danger in going outside as usual. Keep in mind there might be individual bees fallen on the ground, so do not go barefoot into your garden when there is a bee swarm.
You should always keep away from the bee swarm. Aggressive action like hosing it with water, spraying it or throwing things at it will only alarm the bees. Make sure your children and pets stay away from the swarm cluster as well.
If the bees feel they are in danger, they will become defensive and more likely to sting you. When the swarm cluster is left alone, the bees should not present any danger to you.
You should always arrange to have the swarm cluster removed by a professional.
How to get bee swarm removed
Once a bee swarm has moved into your property, you should always contact a professional to have it removed. If you do not take any action, the swarm may lodge itself into a dark and secluded place such as a cavity in the wall of your house or shed.
Once the beeswarm has established a permanent nest in a secluded place, it will be much more difficult — not to mention expensive — to remove. Many beekeepers will not want to remove swarm clusters from walls, because it is a much more risky and difficult operation than removing a swarm from an open place.
If the bees experience a shortage of nectar and pollen, or the weather turns bad, the colony might become more aggressive. Under favourable conditions, the swarm should not be aggressive; but even then, you should never try to remove it yourself.
When there is a bee swarm in your garden, you should find the contact details of a local beekeeper and ask them for advice.
In many cases, the bees are exterminated to minimise the possibility of getting stung; this can be done by a licensed pest control operator.
Will a bee swarm go away?
In most cases, yes, but it is best not to try your luck.
The swarm cluster is supposed to be a temporary residence for the bees. When the swarm has been formed, a few scout bees will leave it to search for a good home for a new hive. This search does not usually take very long. In most cases, the swarm cluster breaks up in a cloud of bees after a few hours or days, and the bees buzz away to their new home.
However, if the search for a new home is prolonged, the bees might start building a new permanent hive in their cluster place. They will begin building comb in the structure they are attached to. The temporary swarm cluster will become a permanent hive.
To prevent this from happening in your garden, it is best to always contact a professional pest control operator or beekeeper instead of just waiting for the bees to leave.
Swarm Patrol is here to help too!
Report a Swarm |
Do you have a swarm of bees that are bothering you? Just complete the form here and our nearest friendly beekeeper and swarmpatroller will contact you and arrange for its removal.
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Simply put in the swarm details on swarmpatrol.com and a text message will be sent to the nearest 3 beekeepers who can arrange the collection and removal.