We are the swarm....

Let's take a minute to talk about bee swarms.

Why do bees swarm?

Why would anyone ever want to leave this place?













A bee swarm is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a colony splits itself in half. This is primarily due to overcrowding in the hive. The queen gets fed up with everyone and splits- usually taking about half the hive with her. Swarming behavior is frequently exhibited in the spring, when the queen is very busy laying eggs to boost the population for the honey flow. Swarming allows the honeybee population to grow and is their natural way of expanding their population.

Are swarms dangerous?

Of course, with any large number of stinging insects there is a danger factor. The deal with swarms is this:
These bees are full of honey- this added weight causes them to be a bit slower than usual. Bee swarms are looking for a new place to call "Home" and frankly, could care less about you. However- if bees feel threatened under any circumstance, they will attack.

I have a swarm in my backyard at this very moment. Can I just go and cut them down? My neighbor has a can of insect killer and has offered me that solution as well...

In the wonderful State of Georgia, we appreciate and value our honeybees. They are an integral piece of our agricultural economy. In Georgia, it is illegal to molest and/or kill a honeybee hive. Besides, there are few things more upsetting than a dead bee colony (at least to me anyway).

Witness:

                                               The Horror!

Instead of contacting the proper people, this guy decided that a can of RAID attached to a plastic rake was the right thing to do. However macho his decimation of these innocent bees must have made him feel; his remedy was cruel and unethical. This is the exact WRONG way to treat a swarm or unwanted beehive.

If you are not an experienced beekeeper and have unexpected bees on your property the singular best thing you can do is call a professional. I cannot stress this enough. Do not bug them. Do not poke sticks at them. Do not let your kids throw rocks at them. Leave them alone and call the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association at:  678.653.7507.

Your other option is to simply leave them alone. Swarms don't like to be out in the open. The bees are not protected and they are very vulnerable in this state. Their main priority is to quickly find a suitable home. Most swarms relocate themselves within 24 hours.  However, this can cause problems in an urban setting. Many times a colony will relocate into an attic or in between the walls of a house. This can cause major and expensive damage, as removing a bee colony from structure of a home is a complicated process that requires specialized equipment.

The quick and dirty:

If you have a swarm, call a professional. Consider it your mitzvah for the day.