Most of us who have a garden or a decent-sized yard are used to the sight of honey bees working and searching for pollen in the plants. Bees perform an important function in a healthy plant system by cross-pollinating gardens and orchards. In fact, many professional beekeepers do not make most of their income from honey production, as many people assume; their primary business is renting their bees out to farmers to pollinate their crops. Even though bees are a common sight in gardens and yards across America, there is one bee behavior that can be unnerving and downright frightening to many people. This article will inform you about bee swarming. Swarming is not a bee attack, as many people assume. Rather, it is natural bee behavior that should not be alarming to anyone who witnesses it.
What is the purpose of swarming?
Swarming is the method that bees use to establish new colonies. A swarm occurs after the queen bee of a colony has laid eggs that will hatch new queens, but before the queen eggs hatch. The bee swarm will consist of the old queen and a large group of worker bees. The size of the swarm depends upon the size of the colony, so a swarm could consist of several hundred to tens of thousands of bees. Because the queen bee is not a good flyer, the swarm will typically move slowly, with many scout bees flying ahead to find good locations for a new nest. Once a suitable location is found, the swarm settles there and begins building a hive.
When does swarming usually occur?
Due to the bees’ reproductive schedule, most swarms occur in the early spring during a two to three week window depending upon location. The weather also plays a role as bees will generally swarm only in direct and strong sunlight. In some areas, swarming can occur anytime during the honey season, but late spring and summer swarms are rare.
What should you do if see a bee swarm?
Swarming bees are not inherently aggressive, since their main purpose is finding a new space to establish a colony. However, they will attack if threatened or harassed. The best approach to take if you see a bee swarm is to leave it alone and keep at least twenty feet away from the main swarm to avoid appearing threatening. If you do not want a bee colony on your property, bee removal is the principal method of taking care of the bees. If you would like to know more about professional bee removal services, you are encouraged to call the Florida bee expert, the original Willie the Bee Man at any of the following numbers:
Miami Dade County- 305-933-2337
Palm Beach County- 888-9 No BEES (1-888-966 2337)
Broward County-1-888-9 No BEES (1-888-966 2337)