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Wild Honey Bee Swarm

Susquatch

Susquatch

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I have two wild honey bee hives on my farm. Today I found a swarm at the base of the big Walnut tree one of them is in.

I'm sure I remember that the wife of one of our members is a honey bee expert.

I'd like to know if I should call a local honey farm, buy a hive for them and try to catch them myself, or let nature take its course.

Does anyone know whose wife it is?

Any advice on the bees?
 
As you know I'm not a bee expert but if/when you find one I can almost guarantee they will talk your ear off about bees and provide all the info you could ever want and then some. I've known/know a few bee enthusiasts/experts before and each and every one of them had that characteristic.
Now if you want a beer expert, I might be able to help. ;)
 
Hi there - Doggggboys
wife Louise here. I was a beekeeper for several years.
DPittman is correct, I am here to provide all of the info you could ever want :)
I have even written e-books for our local bee club. Yes, we are that kind of nerdy.

A swarm is mother nature's method of reproduction. The honeybee Queen takes off with a bunch of bees. If you know of any local beekeepers, they are set up with the equipment and bee suits and will likely come to your place to collect the swarm. Your window to do that is small though. Swarms typically leave their home hive, fly to a tree (like your walnut tree), then scouts find a new home and they all leave again.

Are your wild bees the swarm or have other bees taken up residence? Ontario is different than here in Sask. In Sask, a wild hive would die over the winter. If they are honeybees, again, a beekeeper could collect them and give them a new home.

If you don't know anything about beekeeping, wouldn't recommend setting up a hive now. They are an agricultural species and must be managed to prevent the spread of pests and disease. If you're interested in keeping bees, learn about beekeeping from experts in your region, then buy the equipment, then get bees then you will be a beekeeper. Most people who start with zero knowledge and bees end up killing their bees, sometimes killing their neighbours' bees to due to pest and/or disease transmission.

Good luck!
 
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On the 'gone fully Abo!' side of things, all you need is a hollow space for the bees to move in. Search "Skep". Not entirely legal, as they cannot be readily inspected

Ideally, hit up a local beekeeper, for some hardware. At the very least, you need two boxes of frames, or foundation, a Bottom Board, and a lid. For each swarm.
You will need at least a couple of boxes and frames, for Honey, as well. Add in a smoker (pretty cheap), a Bee Suit (if you are new, or allergic) or at the very least a veil (sorta the most basic level of protection), some gloves (I really hated wearing them, and learned to be gentle to the bees instead) and a pry/scraper tool, and you are pretty much set to go.

As far as quals go, at one point I had 50 hives running, out on Saskatchewan. As if it matters.

Beekeeping is as much Agriculture as is raising sheep or cattle. There are things you pretty much need to know and do. There are books that have a lot of that info. There are videos galore to be watched on YouTube. And there are Bee Clubs almost everywhere too.

Not gonna say don't do it, just gonna say that there is some work, as well as skill needed. Bees taught me patience! If you have ever handled bees when you are in a foul mood, you probably DEEPLY understand. Got stung seventeen times, before I figured it out! Wife, watching and laughing! (now soon to be Ex-Wife! <spit>. Be relaxed, move slow, live calm thoughts! Bee's are just Bee's. If we wish to cut in on what the produce, we must also provide some compensation, whether that is feeding, or a home.
 
Doggggboy said:
Your window to do that is small though. Swarms typically leave their home hive, fly to a tree (like your walnut tree), then scouts find a new home and they all leave again.
Click to expand...

Yes, I knew that. That's why I am urgently seeking advice. All the local bee people are inaccessible right now. And today is Saturday.

I was fortunate enough to see a wild swarm on the move a while ago. It seemed like there were millions of them in the air.

Last night there seemed to be a few bees coming and going. Some were clearly dancing to tell their story. They were still there at dark. I'm guessing they will leave today sometime.

I was so excited I forgot to take a photo or a video.

Doggggboy said:
Are your wild bees the swarm or have other bees taken up residence? Ontario is different than here in Sask. In Sask, a wild hive would die over the winter.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure these are a wild swarm that left the wild hive that is high up inside the same tree.

I have two wild hives on my farm. I check on them every spring. They always over-winter just fine.

Doggggboy said:
If they are honeybees, again, a beekeeper could collect them and give them a new home.
Click to expand...

There is a bee supplies place in town. I'll try to reach them today and ask about bee keepers in the area. Most of the hives I see around here appear to be planted by bee keepers who live elsewhere. I only know of one farmer who had them himself, but he died on me last year so he isn't gunna be much help.

Ideally, id like to find someone who wants them and is willing to keep them here on my farm in exchange for most of the honey with maybe one jar for us.

Unless I can find someone early today, I think I'm stuck with option three - let nature take its course.

Thanks for your advice.
 
I am a hobby beekeeper and if it was a different day I would make the drive your way to try and catch it but unfortunately I can’t today.

Is the swarm still there? They don’t often stick around long.

You can try to find someone to catch the swarm at one of these sites:

Honey Bee Rescue & Removal Services | Ontario Beekeepers’ Association

Thank you for your interest in saving bees and other wild pollinators.
www.ontariobee.com www.ontariobee.com

ontariobeerescue.com

Ontario Bee Rescue Canada - Ontario Bee Rescue

Established in 2013 - We are all volunteers, and no one ever charges for swarm rescues. If you are in need of a bee extraction from a wall etc. contact us for a free quote. Search to find a Beekeeper in your city or town. If you can't find your city or town listed try
ontariobeerescue.com

Don’t worry about it being a weekend. Beekeepers are generally pretty excited to catch a swarm. It’s one of the more fun parts of the hobby.


At the same time you could just leave it and let nature take its course. Good chance you will soon have three wild hives on the farm soon. The location they choose may not be one you prefer though.
 
Unless they are somewhere you don't want them, then let them be. You have a fairly large farm, and they will definitely help.

A swarm is something to see. We had one go past the house a few years ago. You could hear and see them coming and going. They were definitely on a mission.
 
van123d said:
Don’t worry about it being a weekend. Beekeepers are generally pretty excited to catch a swarm. It’s one of the more fun parts of the hobby.
Click to expand...

I tried calling the two numbers I found on your lists that are within striking range. No answer so I left a message.

I'll go check if they are still there.
 
They are still there!

Better still, one of the fellows called me back. Turns out he knows exactly who I am and where my farm is. Unfortunately, he cannot come today....... But we are on for tomorrow. Today is cold and yukky so he thinks they might stay for a few days anyway.

I offered to try and put them in a box for him. You could tell that he was nervous about that but I assured him that I am not afraid of them and even moved a wasp nest twice before. Wasps are way more dangerous than a docile bee swarm looking for a new home. So he is gunna think on that and maybe call me back with instructions. Otherwise he will come tomorrow.

Best of all, he will happily put them in a hive to stay right here on my farm! Woooo Hoooo!

Here are some photos:

This is the swarm:

20250517_095929.jpg

And this is the hive inside the tree where that big dead branch is. It's a fairly big hollow inside there. It is even connected to the small hole on the main tree trunk on the left side about 1/4 of the way up the photo. I've seen the bees lineup on the walls of that hole buzzing their wings to create a breeze to cool the hive on really hot days. Smart little buggers.

20250517_095747.jpg
 
Still there tonight. Just another 20 hours to go and then they are safe.
 
DPittman said:
Just for those that might be interested.... here is a pic of bees I found on a fence post years ago in my field work.
Click to expand...

Wow! Now that is a SWARM!

FWIW, I thought mine was rather small when I first saw it. Yet a rough count suggests it might be 1000 bees.
 
It doesn't hurt, to mix as much sugar as you can dissolve in water, and fill a spray bottle with that. Go hose down the swarm cluster, and they 'might' not bugger off elsewhere.

Their first instinct, leaving the hive, is to absolutely load up on honey, Makes the feel fed and dumb. Keeping them feeling full, might not make them better, but will not make things worse.

Spritzing them with heavy sugar water, 'can' add to that effect.
 
Well they stayed till the bee keeper arrived. So they are safely on their way to a new home. The fellow who came to get them is going to put them into a new hive and then drop the hive back off here. Basically he will manage the hive for me and give me a few jars of honey too!

It was a very cool experience. He let me help. No smoke, no gloves, no masks, no nets. Just our bare hands. First we started scooping up bees by hand and moved them to a temporary box while looking for the queen. Once he spotted her, he put her in a little tube that kept her from escaping and put the tube in the hive. Once that was done, most of the bees started making themselves comfy.

He is going to take them home and then once they are settled he will bring it back. I'm tickled pink!
 
I'm a beekeeper. Glad they were gathered. Honey bees are not native to Canada, and they really need someone to manage them in our climate. It would be awesome to capture the "wild" hives at you place that have survived on their own. Awesome genetics I bet.

It's is amazing how docile bees are when they are swarming. I have also grabbed hand-fulls of bees out of a cluster about the size of three footballs smashed together. On a ladder. 6' off the ground. In shorts and sandals. Not a single sting.

You'll have blast watching them, and watching when the keeper comes to work with the hive. (and eating the best honey you have ever tasted in your life -'cause they are "your" bees and your neighbourhood flowers.
 
I tuned in late as usual, but I was going to say "everything Doggggboys's wife said". And then, "best to have a local beekeeper look after them but keep them at your place" - which seems to be exactly what has developed, and is all for the best. As mentioned bees are livestock and need experienced attention to thrive and not endanger other hives, but there is every reason for you to have them at your own place if that is cared for.
 
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