Wild Honey Bees - Ask Extension
We have a swam of Honey Bees who just made a comb on a tree branch. Do we need to call someone to come get them to keep them alive trough the winter? ...
Knowledgebase
Wild Honey Bees #217046
Asked October 15, 2014, 2:01 PM EDT
We have a swam of Honey Bees who just made a comb on a tree branch. Do we need to call someone to come get them to keep them alive trough the winter? I know we should try to protect our bees.
Berrien County Michigan
Expert Response
Honey bees do not make combs or nests in trees. They need to be inside a structure like a bee box or a hollow tree.
It appears to be a swarm of bees. They usually do this in the spring. The old queen from the original nest and half the bees leave. They park themselves somewhere until the bee scouts discover a suitable location. If there is none in the immediate area, the swarm moves on until they locate a new home. The half of the bees remaining in the old nest have a young queen that stays with them.
Give this a few days and they will probably be gone. Or if you know a beekeeper, ask if they want them.
It appears to be a swarm of bees. They usually do this in the spring. The old queen from the original nest and half the bees leave. They park themselves somewhere until the bee scouts discover a suitable location. If there is none in the immediate area, the swarm moves on until they locate a new home. The half of the bees remaining in the old nest have a young queen that stays with them.
Give this a few days and they will probably be gone. Or if you know a beekeeper, ask if they want them.
