Bee Hives

Bee Swarm Removal in the DFW Area

What is a bee swarm, and when should it be a concern?

April is the month of warmer weather, blooming flowers, and swarms of honeybees. A naturally occurring biological event, honeybees swarm to establish new colonies. Swarms reduce crowding in existing colonies and continue the growth of the species. They can consist of hundreds to thousands of bees, including a few drones and one queen bee. The queen bee of one existing colony lays her eggs, which includes the new queen. Then one-third to two-thirds of the initial colony scout for a new location so that the new queen can create, lay and hatch her eggs to begin the process again. Swarms occur into the late summer months with feral honeybees forming their new dwellings in trees, shrubs, buildings and homes. Home and business owners will have already found or soon find in the upcoming weeks swarms of honeybees nestled nearby.

With the scarcity of available trees to house their growing colonies, honeybees resort to temporary spaces they can seek refuge in. In cities, especially, honeybees look to uninhabited and confined areas such as roofs, decks, utility boxes, vents, and even lawn equipment. Swarms are not dangerous under most circumstances unless provoked. They are best left unharmed and unaffected, but bee swarm removal in DFW may be necessary if it is intrusive or overwhelming. Swarms can be safely removed and relocated with the assistance of a beekeeper. Extermination of a bee swarm is rarely necessary and discouraged since pesticides cause the bees to die. Local beekeepers need honeybees to grow their apiaries and replace colonies lost to droughts and harsh winter seasons, so the beehive extraction by a beekeeper becomes a mutually beneficial service.

Swarm Removal by Local Beekeepers

During our bee swarm removals in DFW, we will carefully access the area of the swarm that the queen occupies. By finding the queen and ushering her into a box, also known as a nuc, the rest of the colony will follow her lead. On a sunny day, the nuc’s dark space attracts the honeybees to seek shelter. Some beekeepers also use bee vacuums that gather the honeybees in a steady and low-pressure airway without harming them. Another technique of bee removal is spraying a cluster with a sugar solution. The solution weighs down the wings of the honeybees so that the beekeeper is able to easily gather the remaining bees.

If faced with the task to remove a bee swarm from your home or business in DFW, be sure to research companies or beekeepers you are looking to hire to safely and ethically remove a swarm. Keep in mind, many larger companies do not follow ethical standards and charge exuberant prices to remove just one swarm. Honey Bee Rescue, Inc. in the DFW area can help with the safe and ethical removal of bee swarms.