What are bee swarms?
A bee swarm is the result of the natural response to the reproductive process in bees occurring in the wild and in managed hives. It is a normal process for bees to swarm often in early Spring and Summer in Canberra. Beekeepers who manage will reduce the risk of swarming through proper management techniques. It is the availability of thin nectar and ample pollen which create the ideal conditions for bees to swarm.
Do I have a swarm in my yard?
Once the bees leave their original home they will fly to another location and sometimes just a few metres from where they started. Often they will move to a tree, wall, fence, house eaves, or in rare cases on a motor cycle!
This photo above shows a bee swarm which has now clustered and will be taken to a safe location. SMH Nov 2017
“Witnesses said it looked like lingering confetti or a ticker-tape parade”.
The sight of bees swarming can be unnerving to people yet it a sting is unlikely as they’ve just gorged themselves on honey before departing. Once the swarm settles though they can become less docile after a couple of days.
Should I be worried
Watch as this skilled apiarist encourages all of the bees into the Nucleus box and she isn’t wearing any protective equipment.
Not really though you shouldn’t unnecessarily bother them and DON’T SPRAY ANY POISON!
What should I do if there is a bee swarm in my yard?
Once bees have clustered they will look for a cavity to setup their new colony often within a few hours. Ideally you call the ACT Beekeepers Association as soon as you see a bee swarm.
We need to know some information like how long have they been there also what size is the cluster and what height off the ground is the cluster.
How much does it cost to get rid of a bee swarm?
A bee swarm cluster on a branch at chest level is very different to bees which have been living in your wall for a few years. The time taken to remove clustered bee swarms can range between 30 minutes to a full day. Bees in your wall may require the cutting out of plasterboard therefore we call this a cutout. It is advisable to proceed with a cutout as this removes the bees and the wax. There could be kilos of wax in your wall and this represents a significant fire hazard.
So how much does it cost to remove a bee swarm? Some beekeepers may collect swarms for free and then on-sell the colony once they have checked it for disease therefore obtaining a saleable product and have done the community a service while others charge a small few to cover costs such as petrol and insurance. Removal of an established colony is generally not something that beekeepers provide for free due to the effort involved and in fact such removals will likely cost hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars depending on how long the bees have been there.
Still need help? Contact our Bee Swarm or Bee Colony Collectors
Bee colonies can be located in unusual but common places such as bird boxes, possum boxes, letter boxes, house walls, roof cavities, sheds, dog houses, shoes, cars, outdoor speakers and any other small “Bee” spaces. Some beekeepers will only collect swarms while others will also remove established colonies that have already built comb.
Bee swarm collectors for the Canberra Region can now be found on the Amateur Beekeepers Australia Website. The people listed will be Beekeepers who are current members of Amateur Beekeepers Australia (ABA) and will also, most likely, be members of the Canberra Region Beekeepers Association, depending on postal code.
All Beekeepers have had the opportunity to purchase Public Liability Insurance for swarm collection thought the ABA, please confirm this when you contact a beekeeper.
While some Beekeepers will collect swarms for free, others may charge a small fee to cover their costs but this is considerably less than you will pay to have the swarm poisoned by a pest exterminator. Live removal of established colonies (bees that have been in a location for some time and have built comb) requires specialist skills and is generally a paid job due to the time and effort involved. Please discuss this with the Beekeeper when you call.
How to advertise as a Swarm Collector
If you are a current member of the Canberra Region Beekeepers Association and want to advertise your services, then login to the ABA portal and update your details.