Nature has programmed the honeybee to swarm in early spring in sync with spring flowers. This is nature’s way of prorogating the species. It is also nature’s way of imposing an unpleasant surprise of homeowners. The below pictures are typical swarms. If left alone, the swarm will leave, on their own, and find a permanent place of residence. How long they stay before they leave is dependent on a number of factors and can be from 15 minutes to a few days. The concern to a homeowner is, where they go when they leave as it could be inside the walls or in the attic of your house.
If you have a large cluster of honeybees hanging on a limb (or other structure) in early spring and would like it removed click the appropriate link below (or in the left sidebar) to find a beekeeper in your area.
Bee Swarms are temporary movements of bees that usually have left the confines of their previous home and are seeking a new home for the benefit of the survival of the species. They may have collected on a tree, a fence, or a bush not very far from their original home. They will move again soon when a more permanent location is found. Sometimes it is too difficult for the beekeeper to collect. Examples are: they are too high or out of reach and dangerous to collect.
The bees may also come to a final resting point inside a building where it becomes expensive to remove. Each beekeeper listed on one of the lists below is a volunteer in good faith who has agreed to remove honeybee swarms if they are able to do so.
Again, this does not include bees living inside walls of houses or other structures. For a list of Huntsville / Madison Alabama area beekeepers that do bee removals from houses see Honey Bee Removals from structures.
Established Colonies in trees. The picture below is not a swarm but a colony that has swarmed and settled in this tree and established a colony. Swarms seldom if ever have externally visible honeycombs. This colony, unlike a swarm is here to stay . If you find a colony like this (which is very unlikely) on your property and wish to have it removed contact the Honeybee Removal List for available beekeepers.
Beekeepers who wish to be added to the following lists for Swarm Removal send email to Jeff Scott.
