Each spring, honeybee colonies that have survived the previous winter will create one or more swarms. Swarms are nature’s way to create new colonies of bees.
If you have a swarm on your property, don’t panic!
Swarms are not aggressive and will not sting unless provoked.
Do not spray swarms with any chemicals, keep children and pets safely away from the swarm, and let us know right away.
Send us an email at info@thebeeyard.org and let us know your name, telephone number, the address/location of the swarm, and a description of where the swarm has landed — in a tree, on a building, etc. Include your best guess of how high they are off of the ground. Attaching a photo of the swarm is also helpful but not necessary.
In Pennsylvania, swarms are common from mid-May through mid-June, but can happen at other times throughout the year depending on weather and other conditions.
When a swarm first emerges, thousands of bees can be seen and heard flying slowly to a bivouac site — usually a tree or another tall structure near the original hive — where they wait while the more experienced members of the swarm search for a new hive location.
Honeybee Swarm in the Air from The Beeyard on Vimeo.
While the swarms usually land in a tree, they can land pretty much anywhere. We’ve retrieved swarms from every place imaginable — even things like cars and fire hydrants!
While the swarm is in its bivouac site, it can be safely retrieved by an experienced beekeeper.
If you have a swarm on your property, don’t panic!
Swarms are not dangerous and will not sting unless provoked.
Do not spray swarms with any chemicals, keep children and pets safely away from the swarm, and let us know right away.
Send us an email at info@thebeeyard.org and let us know your name, telephone number, the address/location of the swarm, and a description of where the swarm has landed — in a tree, on a building, etc. Include your best guess of how high they are off of the ground. Attaching a photo of the swarm is also helpful but not necessary.
A colony of honeybees inside of the walls of a house or hollow tree is not a swarm and cannot be easily retrieved.
Our club maintains a network of experienced beekeepers all throughout central Pennsylvania who can remove the swarm from your property without harming the bees. The bees will then be given a safe, cozy new home by one of our beekeepers.
We have beekeepers standing by in the following communities:
Benton, PA 17814
Bioomsburg, PA 17815
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Catawissa, PA 17820
Dalmatia, PA 17017
Danville, PA 17821
Haven, PA 18661
Herndon, PA 17830
Howard, PA 16841
Klingerstown, PA 17941
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Loganton, PA 17747
Middleburg, PA 17842
Mifflinburg, PA 17844
Milan, PA 18831
Millmont, PA 17845
Mills, PA 17853
Millville, PA 17846
Milton, PA 17847
Montoursville, PA 17754
Muncy, PA 17756
Nescopeck, PA 18635
Selinsgrove, PA 17870
Shamokin, PA 17872
Shickshinny, PA 18655
Springs, PA 17812
Stillwater, PA 17878
Sunbury, PA 17801
Unityville, PA 17774
Wapwallopen, PA 18660
Williamsport, PA 17701
Please remember that we are a group of volunteers, and it is not possible for us to retrieve every swarm. Occasionally, swarms are too high, too close to electrical wires, or have landed in another unsafe location.