Honey Bee Swarm Removal

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Honeybee swarms are commonly found hanging on trees, fences, picnic tables, and the sides of structures. On average, these swarms consist of between 10,000 and 16,000 honeybees. Dr. Chip Taylor, a retired professor from The University of Kansas, shared insights based on extensive experience with thousands of Africanized Swarms in Central America. Taylor explained that a swarm in the Midwest typically travels no more than a couple of miles from its original hive.

Honeybee swarms are generally not aggressive and only sting when provoked. Interestingly, one can safely reach into the swarm and collect honeybees in bunches as long as they don’t feel trapped. However, Africanized or “killer bee” swarms exhibit similar behavior and anatomical characteristics to native honeybees, except when examined under a microscope.

Scout bees, comprising approximately 3-5% of the swarm, play a crucial role in finding a suitable location to establish a permanent colony. They prefer confined spaces, such as a five-gallon bucket, with a minimal entrance. Within a few hours to a few days, swarms relocate to their permanent location. In the wild, they often seek refuge in hollow trees.

In residential areas, honeybees may choose man-made structures as their homes. We frequently encounter honeybees in roofline overhang areas or near fireplaces where the insulation has pulled away from the house. A preferred entrance for these bees is behind a woodpecker hole in the exterior siding, where insulation is missing. They seek a one-eighth inch or larger opening where caulk is split, allowing them to easily enter.

When honeybees are within reach, they can be captured and relocated. Swarms can be gently slid into a 5-gallon bucket, leaving a few stragglers behind to disperse over 24 to 48 hours. While it’s not always desirable to leave confused stragglers at the original location, as they may buzz around and cause unnecessary fear, capturing bees in a bucket is the fastest method because it requires only one trip. 

It’s effective to shake and leave bees in a commercial beehive until nightfall to gather them. Honeybees almost always take up residence and move entirely within the hive after dark. Therefore, the hive is removed and relocated outside of daylight hours.

In some cases, a honeybee vacuum is used to draw bees into a netted box, making it easier to place them into a commercial beehive. However, this method is not entirely effective because it leaves a few stragglers flying around. Sometimes, vacuuming is necessary when honeybees must be removed immediately from a densely populated area. For instance, we removed bees from a tree in an outdoor beer garden in Westport using this method, ensuring we finished in plenty of time for their nightly patrons to arrive.

Once honeybees settle into a structure or tree, it becomes challenging to remove them. The sooner you contact us, the better! Swarms are usually quite friendly but can turn aggressive and sting if you attempt to kill them. In most cases, the on-site swarm removal is free. We charge a small trip fee to cover our expenses.

 See swarm catch pictures here.