If you are not a beekeeper, a swarm of honeybees may look and sound quite daunting. However, there is no need to panic because unless attacked they are very unlikely to sting anyone. However, it is important that you do nothing to disturb or disperse them, not only because there is then more danger of being stung but also because honeybees, which are vital for plant pollination, are under severe threat from parasites and diseases and need our protection. By calling in a beekeeper you will therefore be helping the bees and the environment.
Swarms mostly appear between April and July and are the result of overcrowding in their home colony. When that happens, the queen bee and most of the older bees will leave to find a new home elsewhere. Their usual behaviour is to gather in a convenient spot (i.e. convenient for them!) and cluster together while a number of 'scout' bees go looking for a suitable site to set up a new colony. This can take anything between an hour and a couple of days. It is at this point that they can most easily be collected by a beekeeper. If the bees are left to their own devices they may move on to colonise a chimney or a wall cavity at which point it may only be possible to remove them by employing a suitably equipped and insured pest-removal service (typical cost £100!)
So if you see such a swarm of bees 'hanging about' please contact a beekeeper from the list below (all of whom are members of one or other of the Shropshire beekeepers' associations) who will do his/her best to remove it for you. Please note, however, that we cannot work miracles. A swarm on a branch overhanging a pond or the glass roof of a conservatory, or 30 feet up a tree, may present an insuperable problem. Beekeepers also have other commitments and may not be able to drop everything to attend to your request immediately. However we usually try our best, because a feral colony, while unlikely to survive more than year or two, can be quite a nuisance in the meantime.
One final point before you make that call.
There are many different kinds of flying
insect so please be as sure as you can be
that the insects you can see are actually
honeybees ......
not wasps* ......
....or bumble bees: these are also protected
and should not be disturbed. They are
extremely unlikely to sting and their small nests
do not survive over the winter. Please note also that
bumble-bees vary widely in size. While the queen,
mostly seen flying in the Spring, is large,
the workers may be quite small.
If you are still not certain about the identity of the insects you can see, there is further information here.
These pictures of some typical swarms may also help:
To find beekeepers in your area please click your nearest location on the map below. If no one close to you is available, try someone in a neighbouring district. (N.B. Information for members looking for swarms or willing to collect them is given on the Members page).
