Report a Swarm
Don't panic! Honey bee swarms are usually docile and temporary. Local beekeepers will often collect them for free.
Get Free Help
Beeswarmed.org connects you with local beekeepers who can safely relocate the swarm to a good home.
Report at beeswarmed.orgFree service • Local beekeepers • Safe removal
What To Do
- • Keep a safe distance (10+ feet)
- • Keep children and pets away
- • Take a photo if you can
- • Report it to beekeepers
- • Be patient – they may leave on their own
What NOT To Do
- • Don't spray them with water or chemicals
- • Don't try to move or disturb them
- • Don't swat at them
- • Don't call an exterminator
- • Don't panic – they're not aggressive
Why Do Bees Swarm?
Swarming is how honey bee colonies naturally reproduce. When a hive gets crowded in spring or early summer, about half the bees leave with the old queen to find a new home. The swarm clusters temporarily (on a branch, fence, etc.) while scout bees search for a permanent location.
Swarms are temporary – they usually move on within a few hours to a few days. But if you'd like them removed sooner (or want to help a beekeeper get free bees!), reporting it is the way to go.
About beeswarmed.org
A free service connecting the public with volunteer beekeepers who collect swarms and give them good homes.
Visit beeswarmed.orgFor Beekeepers
Did your hive just swarm? Use our post-swarm timeline calculator to track when your remaining colony will have a new laying queen.
Post-Swarm Timeline Tool →