Help with swarms

 

Need Help With Removing Bees?

This page tells you what to do if you have bees or wasps you want removed and what help is available from your Local Divison of the EBKA.  It is essential to know which type of these insects you have. You can compare your insects with the pictures below:
 

Wasp

Bumble Bee

Swarm of Honey Bees

Bees (Worker, Drone & Queen)
Removing A Swarm of Honey Bees
Swarming is the way honey bees make new colonies. The new colony leaves the mother hive and rests temporarily whilst searching for a new place to live.  Typically the swarm rests in a tree or bush (as in the picture) for anything between an hour and a couple of days. A swarm will normally move on and the bees in a swarm will ignore you unless they feel you are threatening them, however a hanging swarm should be removed by a beekeeper as, if it does move on, it may well end up in a chimney or other unsuitable location. If you have a swarm and need assistance you can contact your Local Division to find out what facilities and help they can offer. Never call the 999 services unless it is an emergency (very unlikely).
 
Local divisons will generally be prepared to send someone to remove the swarm if it is accessible. Some beekeepers charge for this service in order to cover for the various expenses incurred in re-locating a swarm. 
 
Beekeepers will take the the swarm away and put it in a hive or combine it with an existing colony.
 
Removing A Colony of Honey Bees
If you have a colony of bees that is troubling you, it can be moved but only if it is accessible. Common places to find honey bee colonies are in chimneys, holes in trees and cavities in buildings. Again refer to your  Local Division to find a beekeeper to remove the colony. 
 
Removing Bumble Bees
Bumble bee colonies are most often found in holes in the ground and in compost heaps. Bumble bees do not overwinter as a colony so they will be gone by the autumn. Bumble bees will not sting unless they feel threatened. It is possible to move bumble bees but they are best left where they are. If you cannot tolerate a colony of bumble bees then contact your Local Division who may be prepared to move the colony. Because beekeepers keep honey bees, not all beekeepers will move bumble bees.
 
Wasps
Typically wasps build nests in lofts and sheds. Like bumble bees they die out during the Autumn leaving only the new queens to overwinter. Normally wasps are only destroyed if they are a nuisance as they can benefit the local environment. Most beekeepers don’t get involved with wasps and a reputable pest control company should be used.