Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association

The Minnesota Hobby Beekeepers Association
Honeybee Swarm Information

If you have a swarm, you may call us, however please read below and make sure it is HONEYBEES first and not something else! (We aren't exterminators)

Proper Honeybee Swarm Identification:

Step One: Please read about wasp and bee control at the extension site, we want to make sure you have a HONEYBEE swarm and not a wasp or hornet nest. Wasp And Bee Control. Please check out this link to learn about wasps and bees first, and then we will show you what a HONEYBEE swarm looks like.

Step Two: Now that you know what might be troubling you, here are a few pictures to make sure. These are pictures of what a honeybee swarm will look like. There is no nest, just a whole bunch of bees clinging to each other, usually in a low hanging tree.

***DO NOT APPROACH THE SWARM!***
Honeybees in a swarm situation are generally NOT aggressive, but please don't challenge their personal space - stay at least 20 or 30 feet away.
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SWARMS
Swarming is part of the natural reproductive life cycle of honey bees. The swarming season in Minnesota usually begins in June and can last through to September or October. Warmer weather, combined with an abundance of nectar and pollen stimulate the colony to increase in population. This causes over-crowding which prompts some bees to swarm so they can reproduce. Swarms usually emerge from the colonies between 10:00am and 2:00pm on warm sunny days. The old queen together with about half of the bees from the colony, leave the hive and cluster on a nearby object such as a fence or a small shrub. The swarm may remain for a few hours or one to two days while scout bees (worker bees) search for a permanent nesting site. Once found, the swarm will move to this site and establish a new colony. Bee swarms are NOT normally aggressive because they are gorged full of honey and homeless, which reduces their defensive behavior. A swarm will become increasingly defensive, if provoked, the longer it remains in a given location. In the original colony, a new queen emerges and continues to maintain the parent colony.

SWARMS AND PEOPLE
People who are not familiar with honey bees often have a fear of them. Swarming bees are generally not inclined to sting provided they are left alone – but the following precautions should be taken:

• If you see a swarm settling on your property, keep children and pets inside the house until the flying
bees have clustered onto a bush or another object.

• After the swarm has clustered and most of the bees have stopped flying, it is normally safe to be
outside the house.

• Keep children and animals well away from the swarm.

• Arrange to have the swarm removed (see further).

• Wear footwear to protect your feet in case bees have settled on the ground.

• Do not attempt to move the swarm by hosing it, throwing stones at it, smoking the bees or taking any
action to make the swarm move. This action will only aggravate the bees and encourage them to sting
in defense.

• Interfering with the swarm will make it more difficult for a beekeeper or licensed pest control operator
to deal with the bees.

Removal of Swarms
It is easier to have a swarm cluster removed from your property before it moves to a permanent location, such as a wall cavity, where it will be more difficult and expensive to remove. Do not attempt to remove a swarm yourself. A local beekeeper may be able to assist in dealing with a swarm. Beekeepers in your area may be listed in the Yellow Pages under ‘Apiarists’. A member of the MHBA may be willing to help remove a swarm; contact information is at the bottom of the page. Swarms that have established in homes should be destroyed by licensed pest control operators who are listed in the Yellow Pages.

Options for Dealing with Bee Colonies Inside Walls
Wall voids are attractive to honey bee swarms seeking permanent nesting sites. This is especially true if the cavity has had bees in it before. To avoid this problem, caulk potential entry sites such as knot holes, gaps in siding, and openings around plumbing or electric wires. If ventilation is necessary around the openings, cover them with window screen.

Bees in walls can be a problem:

• They pose a sting hazard if their entrance is near human or pet traffic.

• They may trouble people indoors with the sound of their buzzing.

• If the colony dies, its beeswax combs are no longer ventilated by fanning bees, and combs may melt
and stain interior walls with honey and wax.

If you discover a bee colony nesting inside a wall, here are your options:

• Save money and labor with quick action. If the swarm moved inside the wall very recently (within a
day or two), a qualified person can kill the colony by injecting an insecticide into the void. If you wait
longer than this, bees will build combs and store honey.

• If a more established colony must be eliminated, it is not enough to simply inject the void with an
insecticide. The entire nest, including bees and combs, must be removed. If you leave behind the
unventilated combs, they may melt and stain interior walls. Many pest control companies avoid these
jobs, because they involve unusual expertise and liability risks. It is usually best to hire a beekeeper
and carpenter team specialized for this work. Typically, these specialists wait until evening, when all
bees are inside the nest; they locate the nest cavity by listening and observation. Next, they drill holes
in the wall and inject insecticide, open the wall void to expose the nest, and cut out and remove all
comb, honey and dead bees. The carpenter then re-closes the void. It is extremely important to close
up all potential bee entry sites; otherwise, you run the risk of a new swarm quickly reoccupying the
void. Depending on the nest's location, the beekeeper and carpenter may need to work either inside
or outside.

• In some cases, bees and people cohabit with no problem for years. If the next entry site is remote
from human and pet traffic, such as the peak of a roof, a leave-alone approach may be best.
Remember, honey bees are beneficial insects and are not aggressive. However, they will defend their
nest if they perceive a threat. If you encounter flying honey bees, calmly walk away from them and
never swat them. Swatting only threatens them and increases the chance of a sting.

Removal of Swarms
Retrieving the swarm. Click this link to get an idea of how the beekeeper that comes out to your location will retrieve the swarm. We do not recommend a non-beekeeper, without the proper equipment to try this on their own...basically, "Don't Try This At Home Kids!"

Swarm Contacts:

Buzz@mnbeekeepers.com

Bob Sitko - Swarm Coordinator : 651-436-7915