Swarm season will be on us in the next couple of months. With this winter being a mild one we may see swarms as early as March. Generally Swarms are busiest in May and June. If a swarm is spotted; keep a safe distance, contact a local beekeeper (there are a number of us in the area), and most importantly - take a lot of photos if you are comfortable getting closer than most (or have a good zoom) Some people call 911 out of fear. This is not recommended unless it is an emergency situation where the bees are threatening or stinging an individual that is allergic. Swarms are generally docile due to their focus on the queen, desire to find a new home, and fattened up on honey to be ready to build a home. Beekeepers can many times handle bees without protective gear due to this docile behavior. This is not to be confused with an established colony that may be a bit more on the defensive. It is important to know the difference between a honey bee and other types of bees or wasps. Many times beekeepers respond to a honey bees swarm only to find after driving miles that it was a yellow jacket nest. Beekeepers dont keep yellow jacket wasps. Many of the times beekeepers make trips at their own expense as a public service to the community. Generally swarms can be retrieved, and relocated free of charge. However exceptions may be made due to time of travel and conditions on arrival. Colony removal and trapouts in almost every occasion will involve a charge due to the time involved in removing bees that have made themselves a home. Beekeepers have different rates and shopping for the best rate is ok. One thing to understand is that many times beekeepers keep bees as a hobby and have full time jobs so may not be able to respond quickly every time there is a bee call. And finally, DONT SPRAY THE BEES. We depend on bees to pollinate 60+% of our food supply. Bees are not hostile wasps that sting over and over. When honey bees sting they die. Instead of spraying contact a local beekeeper. Check out bees-on-the-net or beeremovalsource or serenityapiaries.weebly or WestCoastBeekeepers.weebly for a swarm list of beekeepers near you. In Oregon try searching through the Oregon State Beekeepers Association web site for a beekeeper on that list. Heres to wishing for a very busy swarm season 2015
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 05:55:09 +0000
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