For anyone who thinks they have found a swarm of honey bees in or near Faversham, Herne Bay, or Whitstable, and wants to report it to a local beekeeper for collection

NB Please read down at least as far as the dotted line – the information will help you, the bees, and us.

• 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) – on private property or public land?
• Height (e.g. 1st floor, roof top, hedge)?
• How long have they been there?
• Have you called anyone else?
• Address/directions/parking including postcode?
• Contact number?

Please inform the beekeeper if the swarm leaves before they arrive or if someone else collects it.  To save wasted journeys, please do not give multiple beekeepers the details once one has agreed to attend.

You can contact us on 07936 693 346 and one of our local beekeepers will come and check it for you and subject to the information you can provide, advise you and try to collect the swarm.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Other useful information:

• Collecting a swarm is normally a two-part process:
  • Part one – to get the bees into a box.
  • Part two – to return in the evening to remove bees and box once the bees have all gone inside at dusk.
• Some beekeepers may ask for expenses where the swarm is on private property and they have had to drive some distance to it.
• 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.
• Bumblebees are best left alone. They are valuable pollinators, some are endangered. Don’t try to block entrance holes as they will try to find another way out possibly into the property.  They will die out naturally in late summer/autumn, therefore the cost of a pest controller is easily avoided.
• Please don’t use chemicals, sprays of water, or other products on them.
• Wasps may require a pest controller if in a dangerous position. Wasps are also good pollinators and eat pests in your garden.  Beekeepers don’t remove wasps.
• Swarm collection is carried out by volunteer beekeepers at their own discretion; they are NOT paid to provide this service.
• Swarming bees usually don’t sting but it is wise to stay away from the swarm and keep children & pets indoors.
• 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.

 

We are your local Branch of Kent Beekeepers Association (registered charity no. 222946 ). We rely on limited resources – donations, income from training activities and the sale of Branch honey – to pursue our charitable purposes of sharing information, education and skills improvement regarding bees and beekeeping. If you were inclined to make a donation please mention this to the beekeeper who visits and we shall be very grateful for your kind support. Thank you.