Do You See A Honeybee?

Do you have honeybees in an unwanted location around your property? Between March and July, swarms of honeybees may appear as large clusters of bees on trees, bushes, or buildings. These swarms are simply honeybee colonies searching for a new home, which can sometimes lead them to inconvenient locations such as garages, attics, or building facades. 

Why Do Bees Swarm?

Spring is the "build-up" phase of a honeybee colony’s life cycle. As their population grows, the hive may become overcrowded, prompting a natural process called swarming. In this process:

✅ The colony splits in half.

✅ One half of the hive stays behind, while the other half leaves to find a new home.

 While swarming is most common in spring, honeybees may also swarm in the fall or in response to disruptions—such as the loss of their tree or hive structure. In some cases, swarms temporarily land on buildings, including apartment complexes and commercial properties. While most swarms move on within a day or two, the real concern arises when bees find small openings in a building's facade and establish a hive inside. This can be prevented by conducting regular building inspections to check for gaps or holes where bees might move in.

 If you encounter a swarm of honeybees, do not attempt to remove or exterminate them. Instead, consider reaching out to a local beekeeper. Beekeepers view swarms as a valuable resource, as they provide free bees to help sustain managed hives. Many are willing to safely capture and relocate the swarm.

 Before Calling a Beekeeper, Be Ready to Answer These Questions:

🔹 Where is the swarm located? (e.g., tree branch, side of a building, fence)

🔹 How high up is it? (Some beekeepers may have height limitations for retrieval.)

🔹 How long has the swarm been there?

🔹 Is the swarm exposed or inside a structure?

To find a beekeeper near you, visit the Mecklenburg County Beekeepers Association’s website or a local beekeeping organization. By relying on the expertise of the beekeeping community, we can safely and responsibly relocate swarms, protecting both these essential pollinators and our neighborhoods.