Honey bee swarms
Bumblebee
Honeybee
Swarming is a natural process that allows the colony to replace the old queen who leaves the parent hive with some of the bees. The bees find somewhere to hang in a cluster until the scout bees decide on their new home.
Most swarms occur on warm sunny days from May to the end of July usually between 11am – 4pm. A honey bee swarm can b
Swarming is a natural process that allows the colony to replace the old queen who leaves the parent hive with some of the bees. The bees find somewhere to hang in a cluster until the scout bees decide on their new home.
Most swarms occur on warm sunny days from May to the end of July usually between 11am – 4pm. A honey bee swarm can be extremely dramatic involving many thousands of bees in a large noisy cloud However, they normally settle into a cluster within 15 minutes.
If you think you’ve got a swarm please contact one of our swarm collectors who may be able to assist.
The beekeeper will ask you questions about the swarm, including :
· Describe what you have seen or ideally send a picture.
· Size of cluster/how many (e.g. football size etc.)?
· Honey bee swarms are thousands, not a dozen or so
· Location/access (indoors, outdoors, chimney, etc)?
· Height (e.g. 1st floor, roof top)?
· How long have they been there?
Please inform the beekeeper if the swarm leaves before they arrive or if someone else collects it to save a wasted journey.
If on arrival the beekeeper finds that it is not honey bees then they are unlikely to be able to help. Most honey bee swarms are not aggressive but please do keep away and leave them alone. Honey bee swarming is natural and the bees are just looking for a new home.
Important information to note
Swarm collection is carried out by volunteer beekeepers at their own discretion. Swarming bees usually don’t sting but it is wise to stay away from the swarm and keep children & pets indoors.
Beekeepers collect swarms on a voluntary basis; they are NOT paid to provide this service. The beekeeper may not be able to come immediately; they may have jobs and commitments of their own. Beekeepers have to consider their own safety; it may not be possible to remove a swarm from difficult-to-reach places.
As well as honey bees there are around 21 species of bumblebee and over 78 species of solitary bee in the Ireland.
Honeybee
Bumblebee
Honeybee
Honeybees can vary in colour, from our native black honeybee which is largely black in colour as the above picture, through to other sub species that have more orange or yellow banding.
Wasp
Bumblebee
Bumblebee
Are they bright yellow with black stripes?
Very smooth, mainly yellow with black stripes?
Are they in the roof of your house?
Are they coming from a round nest?
Is there a nest in the shed?
Do they have a high pitched buzz?
Are they after all things sweet?
Bumblebee
Bumblebee
Bumblebee
Bumblebees are often confused with honeybees. However they are rounder, larger and furrier and come with a variety of coloured stripes across the end of their tails. They are often found in a bird box, under the decking or in the compost and they are important pollinators. Leave the nests alone if possible. They will die out at the end
Bumblebees are often confused with honeybees. However they are rounder, larger and furrier and come with a variety of coloured stripes across the end of their tails. They are often found in a bird box, under the decking or in the compost and they are important pollinators. Leave the nests alone if possible. They will die out at the end of summer and will cause no further problems. Bumblebees rarely sting or attack people or animals and should therefore not be disturbed.
If you have bees in the soffits, gutters, air vents or in your brickwork they are almost always a type of bumblebee and can be left alone. They will leave in late autumn and then you can fill the access points up to stop them returning. A piece of net curtain hung at windows will deter the bees from coming into the house through an open window.
There are 24 different types of native bumblebee, all of which vary in size and colour. For more information about bumblebees go to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website or the Buzz About Bees website.