Our Swarm Collection
Swarming is a natural process for Honeybees and it is their only way of replicating themselves usually between late April and July.
The colony collectively decides to swarm and prepares itself by making queen cells which contain new queens which will carry forward the next generation of the colony.
On the day of the swarm (usually a calm sunny day), the old queen and about half the population of bees exit the hive and usually gather close by in a tree or hedge. Scout bees are then dispatched to find a suitable alternative home (ideally a tree hollow).
The noise of a swarm is intimidating, but the bees are actually quite harmless at this stage because they are gorged with honey for their new home, and they do not have a home to defend.
It is important to collect the swarm as soon as possible after it has left the hive, so please call us
or contact the BBKA Helpline to find another swarm collector.
Once the swarm leaves its initial settling place it can move to a place where it is difficult to remove (eg: a chimney or loft space), and may require the costly services of a pest controller to eradicate the bees.
The colony collectively decides to swarm and prepares itself by making queen cells which contain new queens which will carry forward the next generation of the colony.
On the day of the swarm (usually a calm sunny day), the old queen and about half the population of bees exit the hive and usually gather close by in a tree or hedge. Scout bees are then dispatched to find a suitable alternative home (ideally a tree hollow).
The noise of a swarm is intimidating, but the bees are actually quite harmless at this stage because they are gorged with honey for their new home, and they do not have a home to defend.
It is important to collect the swarm as soon as possible after it has left the hive, so please call us
or contact the BBKA Helpline to find another swarm collector.
Once the swarm leaves its initial settling place it can move to a place where it is difficult to remove (eg: a chimney or loft space), and may require the costly services of a pest controller to eradicate the bees.
