This picture shows a small swarm of honey bees which has gathered on a holly bush branch. If your swarm looks like this – and is easily accessible then we may be able to deal with it. Typically bees will stay in this swarm cluster for a few hours before moving on (maybe even a couple of days).
IMPORTANT: If the swarm is not out in the open, clustered and accessible we won’t be able to collect the swarm.
Please note we are unable to assist in removing bumble or tree bee nests. Find helpful information here on wild bees
What to do if you have honey bees you want removed?
These beekeepers do their very best to help safely remove a swarm of bees.
The beekeepers are association members, insured through the Scottish Beekeeper’s Association and have experience in collecting swarms. The bees are given a new beehive and fed, if required, to help them settle in to their new home.
- George Barton – 01875 340965
- Deborah Mackay – 0131 6658939/ 078844 92687
- David Boog – 07824616548 (evenings and weekends only)
- Craig Stebbing – 07803924858
(covering Dunbar, afternoon, evenings and weekends) - Clive Barker 07591093082 (North Berwick area, evenings and weekends)
- John Chaundler 07804252095
It is essential to know which type of these insects you have. It is very common for people to confuse wasps and bumble bees with the honey bee. Compare what you have on your property to the pictures below :
Thousands of honey bees have just invaded your property or adjacent area and have now settled in a large clump on a tree, a fence or on some other object. The mass of bees, called a swarm, may be smaller or larger than a rugby ball. You may feel terrified and think that your family is in great danger and you want them removed as soon as possible. The following questions and answers may help you understand the nature of swarming, how to remove the problem and also help a beekeeper save the honeybees.
Honey bees are extremely important, not only for honey production but also for the beneficial pollination they provide. We can thank the honeybee for helping to provide one-third of the food we consume. The honey bee population has declined dramatically recently due to a number of diseases, parasites and other factors.
No. Honey bees in a swarm are unlikely to be aggressive and sting anyone unless you attack the bees. At this stage they do not have a home to defend and they have filled up with honey in preparation for the flight to their permanent home. If the honey bees stay and construct a wax nest they will become aggressive if you disturb them.
There is a good possibility that a permanent hive of bees is located close to the swarm that has just landed. This nest (colony) had a large population of honey bees and has run out of room to store honey, pollen and raise new bees. When this occurs the bees will begin to raise new queens and shortly before the new queens hatch the old queen will leave the hive with about one-half of the bees. The queen and bees will usually fly only a short distance, the queen will land on some object and the bees will cluster around her forming the swarm.
Scout bees from the swarm will fly out to try to find a permanent home. If they find a suitable cavity they return to the swarm and perform a dance within the cluster communicating the location, size and other information about the possible new home. Bees receiving this information will fly to this location to investigate. When a sizable number of bees do the dance for a given location the entire swarm will leave and fly to the new nest site.
It could take just a few hours, several days or it may not occur at all. If the scout bees do not find a suitable site they may begin building an exposed nest at the swarm location (in a tree, on the side of your house, etc.) This nest may become a problem to you. If you want a beekeeper to capture the swarm it is important to contact him or her as soon as possible. It is best to telephone the beekeeper.