Help, I've got a swarm of bees in my garden!
Honeybee Swarms
April to summer is the season for bees to swarm so you may find one set up camp in your garden. Although a swarm looks and sounds quite alarming they are not dangerous, the bees are only looking for a new home. If you want proof of how safe they are see the videos on this page.
If you live in the North Somerset and surrounding areas1 and want a swarm removed free of charge contact YABeeP on 01934 876275 and we will happily come along and take them away for you. You can also be assured that these bees will be treated kindly and be given a new home by one of our members to play a part in this Project.
If you choose to use someone else else to remove your bees please check what they charge before committing to using their services. Pest control businesses and even some beekeeping groups often make high charges - some N. Somerset beekeepers charge £70 and professional pest controllers will want more.
Please note: It may not always be possible to safely remove swarms where they are too high to safely reach or have set up in an inaccessible site inside a building - this applies to all non-professional bee associations. Such bees can only be removed by professional (and often expensive) removers. We will however be able to give advice on the most sustainable and cost effective options in such circumstances so please call us first for free advice.
Bumble Bees
We can also move bumble bees nests if they are proving to be a problem because of where they have nested - see our Bumblebee rescue Programme. However, we always try and persuade you to keep these gentle creatures if at all possible.
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1 We can often attend the surrounding areas as well - Bristol/Mendip/Sedgemoor. If you live here and have a swarm that needs removing call us first to enquire - it could save you money!
Outside Our Area
We will collect swarms from the North Somerset & surrounding areas. For other areas follow these links:
Honeybee Swarms
April to summer is the season for bees to swarm so you may find one set up camp in your garden. Although a swarm looks and sounds quite alarming they are not dangerous, the bees are only looking for a new home. If you want proof of how safe they are see the videos on this page.
If you live in the North Somerset and surrounding areas1 and want a swarm removed free of charge contact YABeeP on 01934 876275 and we will happily come along and take them away for you. You can also be assured that these bees will be treated kindly and be given a new home by one of our members to play a part in this Project.
If you choose to use someone else else to remove your bees please check what they charge before committing to using their services. Pest control businesses and even some beekeeping groups often make high charges - some N. Somerset beekeepers charge £70 and professional pest controllers will want more.
Please note: It may not always be possible to safely remove swarms where they are too high to safely reach or have set up in an inaccessible site inside a building - this applies to all non-professional bee associations. Such bees can only be removed by professional (and often expensive) removers. We will however be able to give advice on the most sustainable and cost effective options in such circumstances so please call us first for free advice.
Bumble Bees
We can also move bumble bees nests if they are proving to be a problem because of where they have nested - see our Bumblebee rescue Programme. However, we always try and persuade you to keep these gentle creatures if at all possible.
~~~~~
1 We can often attend the surrounding areas as well - Bristol/Mendip/Sedgemoor. If you live here and have a swarm that needs removing call us first to enquire - it could save you money!
Outside Our Area
We will collect swarms from the North Somerset & surrounding areas. For other areas follow these links:
Posts
4 comments:
Hi, I am wondering if you can help me please. I am looking for an empty bee hive to use in a charity shop window display based on Bugs. Hoping you can help my home number is 01275 541626 or mobile 07954400985. Even if I could just borrow one that would be a help. Thanks Dot
Dot
I imagine that you are really after a WBC hive - the Winnie the Pooh kind that most people associate with bees. Whilst members of our group like myself do keep bees, as sustainable beekeepers we tend not to use conventional hives as these are designed for the beekeeper's benefit, not the bees. Consequently we use Kenyan or Warré hives - see this page.
Whilst our Warré hive are similar you have hit the wrong time of year as the boxes are all in use as bait hives/swarm collection hives so I can't help. You could try contacting the Avon Beekeepers Assn but I expect you will be hard pushed to get someone to lend you one as they cost around £283 assembled.
Sorry and good luck.
Robin
Dear Sir
I have a question about the bee swarm behavior.
This Saturday 14th May 2011, I had a swarm taking my warré hive as a home. Plenty, +100, of bees climbed in and out of the hive. Traffic to and from was heavy.
The bees stayed the whole day, 15th of May.
Yesterday evening (15th of May) I gave some sugar syrup (zip look bag on the bottom of the hive).
This afternoon (16th of May) I went back to see how the hive activity was doing. I had a big lump/ball of bees sitting on the adjacent wooden wall and there were plenty of fanners (pheromone I think) that was sitting at the entry with the backside in the air. In fact, there were fanners everywhere. There was also a big movement of bees walking into the hive entry. At the same time plenty of drones was entering and was looking like they were fed by some worker bees. Some fighting broke out and totally of 5-8 bees was killed.
Being my first hive I did not expect this and I don't know if it is normal actions when a swarm chooses a hive!
I am not sure if was not a second (stronger) swarm that took over the hive. Maybe in some combination with robbing, due to that fact that I put the sugar at the bottom 5 cm from the entry. Or could something happen inside the hive that trigged a movement like this?
I have another hive, a long hive, and 20 meter away from this hive and there are just a few bees flying around, no swarm. I use the same lure (home made) but with no result.
When I looked at the warré hive few our later it was lots of buzz and activities but no fighting.
I would be glad to know if this was the rest of the original swarm, just waiting for the final decision or if something happened. It was 2 days, almost on the hour, since the first big group of bees arrived.
Yours
Dennis Magnusson
Dennis - The "Comment" feature is not the place for specific enquiries.
Very hard to say with just this info but I would NEVER feed a swarm as it causes problems with sometimes encouraging the bees to re-swarm (ie leave) or maybe attract robber bees from other hives, either of which may be what you saw. Swarms eat copious amounts of honey before leaving so please don't feed them.
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