It’s SWARM season!
We are in full blown swarm season!!
This spring has been particularly “swarmy” if that is a word!
The club has received call after call from the community asking for assistance with honeybee swarms!
One of our jobs as members of the Cheatham County Beekeeper Association is to assist with the recovery of honeybees where ever we can. We want to see our bees thrive for the benefit of all who live here.
And of course if we’re honest, we love their honey and that is one of the many reasons we do what we do as beekeepers! We’re sure you could be one of the many people out there who also enjoy the labors of honeybees!
What is a honeybee swarm?
A swarm is the natural way for honeybees to reproduce in the spring. As the bee population increases inside a hive, more space is needed.
A swarm typcially consists of of the old queen and up t0 75% of the old hive!! That’s a lot of bees!!
When they leave a hive they stop and rest for approximtely 24-36 hours. At this point, the bees are docile because they do not have a colony to defend. They are homeless for the moment.
Once they fly away to their new location they will start building comb again and the queen will start laying eggs.
If you come across a swarm please go to our Swarm Removal Page and look for the beekeeper located closest to you.
Please remember, when swarming honeybees will not be defensive or dangerous unless they are disturbed. Please give them space and give us a call!
Here are a few things the beekeeper will want to know when you call:
-Are they really honeybees? Could they be yellow jackets or hornets?
-Have they been disturbed?
-Will they have permission to be at the location from the owner?
-How long have the bees been there, if it’s been more than 2 days it’s likely not a swarm and could be an established colony. These bees will behave differently and could be defensive when removed.
-How high off the ground are they?
-How big is the swarm?
We want to work with you so please let us know as much information as possible and if you can snap a few photos this is always very helpful!!