Swarm Capture

Honey Bee
I act as the local swarm officer for my area and as a result I have been called out to many 'swarms'. It has very often just been a few bumblebees close together, an excited collection different bees collecting gum from laurel on a sunny day or even to wasp nests. A swarm of honey bees is very different to a wasps nest - so take a good look at what you see and try to assess what it is and what it is not.
Wasp


Honey bees are usually smaller than people expect; smaller than most wasps or bumblebees certainly. They do not have the 'fur' that is common on bumble bees either. In this country the honey bee is traditionally quite a dark colour, not yellow stripes like our wasps or hornets, but cross breeding with European bees has lightened that colour a little.
Bumble Bee

Take a look at the pictures here and make sure that what you see is a honey bee and not a wasp, a bumble bee, one of the many hover fly's which mimic the look of a bee, or one of the many other types of bees we have in the UK.
Hover Fly
Honey bees swarm to divide their colony when it has become too large. It creates a new queen and (usually) the old queen will leave with about half (it varies) of the bees to accompany her in the search for a new place to settle.

It is likely that they will quickly find a place to rest, on a tree branch or fence post, whilst scout bees go to try and find a suitable place for them to stay on a more permanent basis. This search can take a few days or a few hours and the swarm, which will centre around the queen, may move if they feel their resting spot is putting them at risk.
Swarm on the wing

This is the point the swarm needs to be captured, before the scouts find a spot that is less than ideal for them, like someone's chimney, in an outbuilding or under roof tiles and into someone's eaves.

Don't try to remove the swarm yourself unless you are a beekeeper with experience and please don't try and destroy them or agitate them, as these insects are vital and valuable and are easily dealt with in a way that will not hurt them or any people either.
Clustered swarm

When bees swarm they have recently eaten lots of honey to prepare them for their journey, so they are more than likely to be quite drowsy and quiet if left alone. Keep some distance, don't move too fast or make too much noise; it is unlikely they will sting anyone. But enjoy the sight; it's an amazing thing to see. When they are 'on-the-wing', it can be a shocking sight to see. Here is a swarm that turned up in my back garden.

They may pass you by, but they may settle and cluster together in a hedge, tree or anything they like the look of. This is what the cluster looks like. There will be plenty of other bees still flying about, but they will pretty much settle down into the cluster when it starts to get cool in the evening. They are surrounding the Queen to protect her whilst other bees are off to search for a suitable place for them to live. They could leave in an hour or they could be there for a few days before they leave.

Get some help from experienced swarm collectors

They are likely to stay where they are for a while, not disturbing anyone as long as they are left alone. The best thing to do is to note exactly where you have seen them and then contact your local police station (not using 999, as this is not a criminal or medical emergency), your district council or your local beekeeping association. These people will pass the details on to the local swarm officer who will come and pick the swarm up safely and quickly.
Best of all - you can find the number for your local swarm collection officers on this web page here.

If you have what you believe is a honey bee swarm in the following areas in Wiltshire and Hampshire listed below, you can call me and maybe I can help you. 
Hamptworth, Landford, Nomansland, Redlynch, 
Lover, Wellow, West Wellow, Sherfield English, 
Hale, Bramshaw, Fritham, Brook and Plaitford. 
Anywhere in that general area.
Call me on 0777 55 90 869.

Additional Information... British Beekeepers' Association Swarm Help ______________________________________________________________

Swarm Capture for Beekeepers and Swarm Officers...

Catching honey bee swarms is an exciting and rewarding activity. There are a number of methods a beekeeper can use to capture a honey bee swarm. First, lets think about the main considerations when you have a swarm to collect.
  • You want to make sure that all people in the vicinity remain safe. People are naturally fascinated by a bee swarm and have a desire to watch you (try to) capture the swarm. You have to explain to them beforehand the situation, what you will be doing, that the bees may become agitated and so they should stand well back, close windows and anyone who is allergic to bee stings must vacate the area. You can also post some signs on paths leading to the area you are working so people know there is a beekeeper at work along the route they are considering.
  • You want to disturb the bees as little as possible. Try not to kill any bees, try not to agitate them too much, transport them carefully and safely, get them into a new location as quickly, carefully and quietly as you can. This applies to the queen especially, of course.
  • You don't want to damage property when it can possibly be avoided. You are most likely on private property and not your property, so you want to avoid any litigation or embarrassment. Get permission before you start to hack into a bush or tree, before you start pulling structures apart or even moving a plant pot - if you cause damage you may well be invited to pay for it.
  • You want to make sure you are safe. You will probably not know the origin of these bees, whether they are friendly or hostile, or how they will react to your chosen method of capture. It's true that most swarms are docile and calm, but you can't guarantee every swarm will be like that. So you should wear a bee suit, gloves and appropriate footwear - prepare for the worst and at least you will be ready if it happens that way. Dressing in this way also serves as a useful indication to the public that you are handling bees and they are best to keep their distance.
So bearing those in mind, the method must be safe, and a practical, common sense approach to the capture plan is vital. Consider all these methods and any more you can think of and pick the one you believe will provide the best possible result for people, bees, property and beecatcher.  In order to give you the chance to do this, the right tools for the job will help. Consider taking these tools to any capture trip.
  • A beesuit, gloves and appropriate footwear - the right clothing is essential when you are handling unfamiliar bees.
  • A smoker, fuel and a lighting device - you may not need it, but you usually will use it in some capacity.
  • A cardboard box, some weights and a large bedsheet - the box should be at least 30cm by 50cm and you must be able to close it. It should also not be airtight (especially if you have a longer trip home) as the bees may suffocate, but the box should also not have holes the bee can escape from. The bedsheet should be large; better to have spare than find the sheet does not allow you to cover the box of bees entirely! And you need some weights to hold the box down so it does not blow away - some light paving bricks are perfect.
  • A pillow case, bee brush, masking tape and string - all useful for refining your capture and containment of the bees depending on the method you go with.
  • A water sprayer filled with clean water - this is an alternative to the smoker and can be useful to control the bees in some instances.
  • Pruning secateurs, a penknife and a small branch saw - quite often you will need to cut into a plant to get to the swarm and it is also often the case that you will find it easier (and less stressful for the bees) if you cut out the branch they are holding onto and transport them still holding onto their branch of choice. Sometimes they are holding onto more than one branch at once, so you might end up with quite a lot of branch in your box, but try and keep it to a minimum.
  • A ladder - if you have been told the bees are high in a tree or similar, then you should ask the client if there are ladders you can borrow; if not you will need to take your own.
  • A suitable vehicle - you have to be able to transport yourself, all this kit and the bees, so make sure your vehicle gives you the flexibility and room you need to manage the bees in transit.
  • A information sheet - I like to take along an information sheet for the client to read before I commence capture, as you always end up saying the same things to people, giving them the same advice and warnings, and this way they get to keep it and if you put your contact details on it they will likely bring you back next time. You may want to get them to sign a release of some sort if they have agreed to let you damage property to get to the bees, as misunderstandings over verbal agreements can get legal and costly.
  • Another beekeeper - sometimes you will need help. Consider this in you capture plan once you know more about a specific swarm.
There are lots of other things you may start to want to take along as you refine your own methods and process for capture, like a bee vacuum. However, those listed above are the things you will usually need. So now you are ready to capture a swarm, all you need is a client with a honey bee swarm that wants you to take it away. Before you start traveling, you should talk to them on the phone to get some information about the swarm. Here is a list of things you can ask a client so you will be prepared for what you need to do.
  • Ascertain their confidence that this is a honey bee swarm and not just a lot of bees, wasps or bumblebees. Ask them if the bees are clustering together in a tight group. Ask them how big that group is (e.g. tennis ball size, rugby ball size, ford escort size)? There will be occasions that, despite their insistence that they have a honey bee swarm, you will turn up to find the client obviously has a wasp nest or has mistaken bumblebees for honey bees!
  • Get them to estimate what height the bees are clustered. This will give you an idea whether you will need ladders. If you do need ladders - do they have some big enough you can borrow or do you need to take your own?
  • Get their contact phone number - some people like to be out when you pick up the bees or you might need to call them to rearrange. Ensure you have their contact number.
  • Ensure you agree with the client on a time to visit that suits them, you and the bees! Capturing a swarm in the middle of the day when they are very active can make the whole capture more difficult; better that you try to do it later in the evening when they are cooler, quieter and together, even if you do run the risk that they may have moved on by then.
  • Most important is to know where they are! Get details of the property address with post code and a precise description of where the bees are on the premises in case there is no-one there when you get there. Take a look at a map before you set off and make sure you know where you are going and how long it will take to get there. GoogleMaps and StreetView is great to get a good idea of exactly where the property is and what landmarks to look out for on the way.
  • If you charge clients for collection (some don't, some do with some people and not others, some charge everyone) then make sure they are aware of that before you leave and that they agree on the terms (e.g. payment even if they are not honey bees - as you still had to travel there). If you do charge then please do consider the implications of tax and whether charging means you are seen in the eyes of the law as a professional who should be suitably insured for such services - it is unlikely your beekeeping insurance alone will cover this type of service.
So that covers the four main things to bear in mind before even considering trying to capture a swarm, the equipment that I believe you should take along with you and what information to secure from the client before you even leave your house. Now I shall try and explain some of the techniques I have learned and used to collect a swarm. Sometimes you can just use one technique during a capture visit, but quite often you will need to use two or more techniques to get the maximum percentage of the bees on the clients property. You have to be analytical of the situation, practical and creative in determining your capture plan and flexible as the situation changes. These are not in any order.
  • Cutting the branch - if the bees are on an accessible branch and you have the permission of the client to cut and remove the branch, then this method means that the bees can stay where they are whilst being transported into your box and back to the apiary. Make sure you cut away any part of the branch that the cluster is not holding onto, as they will get in the way when you try to pull the branch and the bees out of the tree/bush. However, be careful you leave enough of the branch at the far end for you to hold onto when you make that final cut that separates the branch and the cluster from the tree/bush. You must hold on tightly as it can be a surprise how heavy the branch is when the final cut is made. Make all cuts slowly and carefully to ensure the branch is shook as little as possible, as shaking branches looses bees.
  • Shaking the branch into a receptacle below - you will need to do this several times; you will rarely get them all in one go as many will go on the wing when shook. If you get the Queen in your receptacle (like my cardboard box) then you can put it near the rest of the swarm and after some time most will join her in the box with the others. Time sometimes needs you to speed them up, so repeated shakes may be required. It can be a little hit and miss, but sometimes you have no choice but to shake and hope you get them.
  • Enveloping the branch and shaking/cutting - rather than just shaking into something below the swarm, you can try and get something like a pillow case around the swarm (you will be surprised how ok they are about it!) and then cutting the branch with the swarm trapped inside the envelope. Don't forget to hold on tight when you cut through the branch. Recommend you tie off the open end of the envelope in some way so you don't have to worry about it opening and letting all the bees out.
  • Smoking into a box above the cluster - I read about this and then one day had the ideal situation to try it. If the bees are somewhere that you can securely get your cardboard box above them (with the open end at the bottom) then this can work really well. Make sure the box won't fall or get blown from it's position above the bees and ensure the bees have an easy access to walk into the box. Then light your smoker and get it going nicely as you would usually. Once that smoke is running thick and cool, give the bees a little smoke about a foot or two below them - just a light smoke! The bees should start to walk up into the box. If they don't move then give them a little more smoke, a little closer. Don't rush it, you don't want them on the wing; if you are gentle and take your time, they will start to go into the box and find a top corner. There they will cluster there very happily and once they are all in that top corner you can slowly and quietly invert the box, close it up and take them away.
  • Use a bee vacuum.

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