Swarms

Honeybee swarms tend to be found in both accessible and inaccessible locations within some proximity (10 to 100 yards) of the “parent” colony. Swarms of honeybees are collections of (typically) about 30,000 individuals who have “left home” due to overcrowding or other ecosystem limitations. The swarm that manifests itself on a tree branch is resting and sending out scouts in search of a new cavity in a tree or man-made structure (can even be your home - cracks in exterior) that will afford them protection from the outdoor elements and where they can set up housekeeping in peace. Consequently, most swarms move on from where they are discovered every 12 to 36 hours until they find a new home.

Swarms of honeybees (herbivores), unlike their carnivorous distant relatives of the wasp family (yellow jackets, hornets, etc.) are quite docile unless disturbed. At least they are currently, since honeybees in our region have not yet become “Africanized” and taken on the more defensive behaviors of that strain of honeybees. Your local beekeepers, as well as the South Carolina Department of Agriculture are constantly revising their practices in the effort to keep our regional honeybee population friendly, productive, and beneficial to our gardens and crops; and continue to be a bellwether for the condition of not only their environment, but Our environment as well.

What should I do if I see a swarm?

If you discover a swarm of bees, wasps, or other insects, your local emergency services (police, fire, rescue, and animal control) can be informed if the critters pose some threat and it would not be prudent to just wait for them to leave. A swarm of insects does NOT warrant a call to the 911 Emergency Center. Look up the local number for your local Police, Fire and Animal Control to place a call to their dispatch desk.

Alternately, you can contact

The Bee Whisperer, Ralph “Buddy” May at 864-430-0318