Stumbling upon a swarm of bees can be scary, but don’t panic! Typically, if you leave them alone and steer clear, they’ll leave you alone. If you learn why bees swarm, you’ll be less scared when you see one. Learn something new about our Earth’s precious pollinators and what you should do when you see them swarm.
Why Do Bees Swarm?
If you see a swarm of bees, it will most likely be honey bees. Bees start swarming when the current queen bee lays eggs into “queen cups” specially designed to hold and develop queen eggs. One of these eggs will hatch and become the new queen, but not before the current queen and half of her colony leave the hive.
The queen is very tired after laying eggs and needs to rest. The bees find a temporary safe space to land and surround the queen to protect her as she rests. While the queen rests, scout bees search for a suitable and permanent location to take the colony. Once a new site is found, the swarm will fly to their new home. Swarms can stay in place from a few hours to a few days.
What Do I Do if I See a Swarm?!
There are three simple steps you can take when you find a swarm of bees:
1- Don’t Panic!
Honey bees are not trying to harm you; they are simply trying to find a new place to call home! Often, people panic and react out of fear when they see a swarm of bees, which can cause one to use harmful chemicals and pesticides to kill the bees. This is not necessary, and we don’t recommend this when it comes to swarm removal.
2 – Leave Them Alone!
Children, especially, sometimes try to agitate the bees by throwing sticks and rocks at the swarm. This will harm the bees and could cause them to attack any potential threats to defend their colony. Most swarms don’t stay for very long, at most a few days, so your best option is to leave the swarm alone until it moves one. As long as the bees have not swarmed in an area that threatens you or your home, we recommend letting them rest until they fly to their new home.
3 – If There is a Threat, Contact a Professional!
If the swarm causes a potential threat to you, your home, family, or pets, contact a bee removal expert or local beekeeper immediately! If you are in the Las Vegas Valley, Bee Master of Las Vegas will safely and humanely remove the swarm from your home without harming the bees.
Bees are sacred little creatures that help keep our planet going and our food sources growing. Without them, we’d lose a lot of food due to a lack of pollination. Remember, if you see a swarm, don’t panic; leave them bee, and they’ll eventually move on!
If you need professional LIVE bee removal, contact Bee Master of Las Vegas today!