What to do If a honey bee swarm lands on your property
Do not disturb it. Keep pedestrians, children and pets away from the swarm cluster.
Honey bee swarms are easy to identify. First you may hear a hum as the bees fly in, as they do the sky is usually filled with bees and in some cases the sky may darken for a few moments, then they will land and cling to one another until all the whole colony has settled.
The image to the right is that of a honey bee.
The following are not honey bees - click on the images to get more information on their features, behaviour, life cycle etc.
Wasp |
Bumble Bee |
Hornet |
Solitary Bee |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Usually nests in lofts sheds, roof gaps, wall cavities and compost heaps. |
Usually nests in compost heaps, garden debris or under sheds. Round and furry body |
Usually nests in stables, sheds, roof gaps and wall cavities. Harmless if left undisturbed. |
A tiny harmless creature. Often found nesting in the ground dependent on species - there are over 200 |
If you would like to have the swarm removed, are unsure whether you have wasps or bees, or if you require more information on wasp control and its treatment, please visit the Barnet Council web site or ring on 0208 359 7997
If you are in the Barnet area and you require the local Honey Bee Swarm Collection Services, please contact
Mr Clive Cohen
07973 825165
swarms@barnetbeekeepers.org
leaving a contact telephone number, your email address and as much detail on the swarm e.g. size, location, activity etc.
Please note: No charge is made for collecting a honey bee swarm, but a donation towards travel costs is much appreciated.
Why Bees Swarm
Swarming is the only way in which honey bees procreate, it can occur at any time between April and September.
What happens is that the queen bee lays eggs in specially prepared wax cells that the worker bees have made, these eggs will later develop into new queens.
It then takes eight days for the newly laid egg to develop into a lava and for the lava to be sealed with a wax cap in its cell. This lava will than develop into a queen bee.
Once the first wax queen cell is sealed, the reigning queen and approximately half the worker bees leave the hive to set up a new home.
Since this group of bees don’t know where they are going they will rest on something while scouts fly out to find a new home.
This ball of bees is a swarm; they are normally quite benign if left alone and the average swarm contains roughly 30,000 bees which is about the volume of a football.
The swarm can remain in one spot for several days however is is not uncommon for swarms to move sites. If bees are forced to remain in one spot for longer than 24 hours they may start to produce wax comb,
This is a precautionary measure just in case the scouts fail to find a new location.