Saving Bees!
We are often asked about what to do with a swarm of bees? Why do bees swarm to begin with? Who can we call? Here are answers to said questions. As bee keepers and as a family who enjoys eating fresh produce, we understand the importance of the honey bee and why they are so crucial for us all in order to even survive. Please don’t kill honey bees. Society needs as many as possible.
Why do bees swarm?
There are a few things that can lead up to a hive of bees to swarm. First of all though, a swarm of bees isn’t a bad thing. It means that the hive they have left most likely became to crowded. A queen bee does nothing but lay eggs all day long in order to populate the hive. When a hives population becomes to large, the worker bees become more and more spread out. When the pheromone from the queen becomes impossible for all the bees to sense, they react to that by building a royal cell to replace the queen that happens to still be alive and working. The current queen will then decide to leave the hive along with about 60% of the current population and look for a new home. The hive that remains will be down in numbers until the new queen is born and begins laying to again repopulate the hive. The old queen and her swarm of followers are then on the lookout for another suitable location. So when you see a massive cloud of bees on the move, that is what they are doing. Since the queen is the largest bee in the hive, she is the weakest flyer so the swarm will take rest stops. Scout bees will go on looking for their new location while the rest of the swarm protects their queen. Typically the swarm doesn’t stay for long before they move to their new home.
How can I get these bees out of here?
Unfortunately for some, when the bees choose their new home, it doesn’t always work for us. We have heard plenty of stories of bees moving into sheds, abandoned homes, trees close to homes, or even inside the wall of a home. How can I get rid of these bees? Please, whatever you do, don’t kill them. They can be relocated to another location with a little time and effort. The images above are a recent hive relocation. These bees decided to use an old sub-woofer box to call home. Our friend Cad, owner of Cad’s Produce located at 3502 Holmestown Rd; Myrtle Beach, SC 29588, asked if we could find them a new home. This was an easy relocation assignment.
Who can we call?
Give us a call. Between ourselves and knowing other local beekeepers, your swarm can be removed free of charge in most cases. Someone will be more than happy to relocate a swarm or hive for you. Not all relocations are easy but all can be done without the need of killing the bees. Our own survival depends on their survival. Next time you are at a produce stand like Cad’s Produce, remember how hard the bees work for us.
