What should I do if I notice a swarm of bees in my yard?When part of a large, established hive decides that the conditions are just right for it, they will fly off from the main hive in a swarm that includes a queen and perhaps half of the bees in the hive population. This new swarm will then settle in a tree, bush or under the eaves of your home in a cluster about basketball-sized or larger. If this happens, or if you notice a swarm of bees settling into a nearby tree, then you should contact Lavender Bee Farm about our Swarm Removal Service.
Spraying a swarm of bees with a water hose or shooting poison at them will not get rid of them. They will either just move to another location, or they could even become aggressive. Despite the tendency of honeybee swarms to be calm, African bees can become very aggressive and attack people. A good rule of thumb is to remain a good distance from the swarm and to use caution.
Sometimes, it’s a good option simply to wait and see if the bees will move to another location by themselves. However, if you notice that the swarm seems to have settled into an area in your yard, then you need to call us to have them removed. Insect exterminators are often not the best choice to use for bee swarms, as they will use poison (which is never good to have around your home or yard) and often will not extract the bees. We need our precious honeybees, so rather than kill them, bringing in a beekeeper like Richard Wallenstein of The Lavender Bee Farm is the best choice for you, for the bees, and for the future of our environment.
1) Make sure that the swarm is indeed a honeybee swarm. A bee swarm will have the appearance of a “ball of bees”. If there is a small cluster of honeybees that are hanging around a tree or a small hole in a building, then it is likely an established hive. If the group of insects has a grayish or papery look to them, then it is likely not bees at all, but wasps.
2) Where’s the swarm located and how high from the ground are they? The difficulty involved in removing a swarm varies, depending on where the bees actually are. If they are high up in a tree, for instance, then we’ll need to know to bring high ladders to get to them. If the bees are on a tree branch, we can generally cut the branch to remove the swarm, something we can’t do if they are clustered on a fence. The more details you can give us, the better!
3) How long has the swarm been in the location? Remember, swarms that first find a tree will often move on within a couple of days. If the swarm has been in one location longer than a few days, then it is probably a new hive that has been established. Hives are harder to remove than swarms, so let us know so that we can be prepared.
Please contact The Lavender Bee Farm for simple swarm removal in the following ways:
Phone: (707) 789-0554 or Cell (707) 480-2264
We are available Monday through Saturday 9am to 5:30pm to take your call or Via Email: lavenderbeefarm@yahoo.com.
Sonoma County only.
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