So You've Found a Swarm!

Bees most frequently swarm during warm weather in May or June. A swarm is a complete colony i.e. a queen, worker bees and drones and it arises as a result of a healthy colony of bees splitting to create an additional colony. Bees need to do this in order to preserve their species and to make up for losses arising from disease, colony destruction by other creatures etc.

A swarm usually leaves its parent colony as a "cloud" in the mid part of the day amid a loud buzzing noise and alights on a branch, fence post or the like to form a tear- drop shaped cluster (see photo below). Prior to leaving the parent hive, the bees will have consumed honey as they won't be in a position to eat until they have settled into a new home. The effect of eating honey calms the bees, but nevertheless people are strongly advised not to approach the cluster unless they have a knowledge of beekeeping and protective clothing.

	Typical Worker Honey Bee Typical wasp
Bumble Bee	Swarm of Bees

Beekeepers welcome requests for assistance with troublesome bees in our area (see home page) and our Swarm Liaison Officer should be contacted as soon as possible. If the colony of bees can be collected, the beekeeper or his colleagues will use it to enhance their stocks. However if the colony establishes itself in an inaccessible place, then a specialist commercial pest control service such as David Snelson on Freephone 0800373023 may need to be contacted. Wasps, which are yellow, do not swarm but may establish a nest in an inconvenient place in which case the Warwick District Council Pest Control Services or a commercial pest control service will need to be contacted. Bumble bees do not swarm and are not at all dangerous. They normally build their nests in the ground. They are insects which are "endangered" and are best left to flourish if at all possible.

If not collected a swarm or "cluster" of the bees sends out scouts to identify a new permanent home, which could be in any dark cavity. Normally, within a day or two and usually during the middle of the day, the bees will take off again and fly to their new home.

A beekeeper will collect a swarm free of charge, but a contribution towards costs will always be appreciated. Collection can often involve two visits in a day - first to "box" the swarm, then to collect it when they have all stopped flying later in the day.

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