 | Wake County Beekeepers Association |
Help I've got Bees!
The WCBA is here to serve the community when a swarm of honeybees shows up. Many of our members are willing and able to remove swarms for free. See the map at the bottom of this page for contact information for a member near you that can respond.
WCBA Members Only – Swarm list guidelines
HOWEVER, bees that have moved into a structure, such as the walls or the roof, will require professional removal. To locate a company that can remove bees from a structure, you may want to inquire via Facebook in this group:
NC BEE REMOVAL FACEBOOK PAGE
What to do
CALL RIGHT AWAY, DON'T SPRAY! Honeybee swarms are calm. They will leave you alone if you leave them alone. They are just stopping on their way to finding a new permanent home.
Determine whether they are honeybees. WCBA members will only remove honeybee swarms or hives. Honeybees are hairy, while hornets and wasps are hairless and shiny. If you send us a picture, we can check whether you have honey bees, or something else. Sadly, we cannot not assist with wasps, hornets or other insects.
Is it a swarm? Some bees may be flying around but that does not mean there is a swarm. A swarm is a clump or cluster of bees, usually between the size of a soft ball or beach ball. Often, they can be found hanging on a branch or against a structure. Swarms appear most often from early March through July.
Call as soon as you notice the swarm! When bees swarm, time is of the essence. Swarms are relatively easy to catch, but will only stay in the open for a few hours before finding a refuge. Once they find a defensible nesting site – inside a tree, wall or attic – capture is much more difficult. When you call, be ready to share…
WHAT: Are you sure it’s honeybees? Take a photo of the swarm and text it to the swarm captain for your area. (See the map below.)
WHEN: When did you first see the bees, and how long have they been there?
WHERE: What is the address where they are located? Who is the property owner? If not, who is the owner? The more detail about the location, the easier it will be for the volunteer to collect the swarm.
HOW MANY: What size is the swarm ball – like a softball? basketball? beach ball?
HOW HIGH: How high off the ground are they? Are they in a tree or bush? Can the tree or shrub limb be cut if necessary? Will a ladder be needed?
Who to Call
Volunteers are divided by 5 geographic locations, or zones, covering all of Wake County. Please contact the swarm captain for the location of the swarm (see the list below).
| If you do not receive an answer when calling the zone captain, please leave a message and wait 5 minutes for a return call before calling other captains. |
