CSBA Swarm Hotline
What is a swarm?
A honeybee swarm is a natural and temporary event. When a hive becomes crowded in the spring or early summer, the old queen leaves with about half the bees to look for a new home. While they search, the bees gather together in a large cluster on a tree branch, fence, or other surface. It can look dramatic, but it is usually calm and not aggressive.
Swarming bees are focused on protecting their queen and finding a new nesting spot. They do not have honey or a hive to defend, which makes them much less likely to sting. Most swarms move on within a day or two.
If you see a swarm, please do not spray it or disturb it. Call the CSBA Swarm Hotline instead. Our trained volunteer beekeepers can safely collect the bees and give them a new home.
Is it a Honeybee or a Wasp?
- Not all flying yellowish things are honeybees. To tell the difference between bees and wasps, look for:
- How they gather: Honeybees swarm in a tight, hanging cluster that looks like a football or a clump of grapes. Wasps usually do not form large hanging clusters in the open.
- Body shape and color: Honeybees look fuzzy, rounded, and have more of a golden color. Wasps look smooth, shiny, have a thin “pinched” waist, and are often bright yellow.
- Behavior: Swarming honeybees are usually calm and focused on each other. Wasps are more likely to fly in and out of a visible nest (paper nest, hole in ground, eaves, etc.).
If you’re unsure, take a photo from a safe distance and contact us. We’re happy to help identify them.
I’m sure they’re honeybees, but they’re in a wall.
If honeybees are going in and out of a wall, roof, soffit, or other structure, that is not a swarm. It is a structural hive and requires paid, professional removal.
Structural removals involve opening the wall, safely removing the bees and comb, and properly repairing the area. This work should be done by an experienced beekeeper/contractor who is licensed, bonded, and insured.
These jobs are not handled by BCBA swarm volunteers. Please see the Colorado State Beekeepers Association list of qualified structural removers for next steps.
For BCBA Swarm Rescuers
The only thing predictable about swarm season is that it is unpredictable. That said, we generally expect a handful of swarm calls from about April 15 through about May 1. From mid-May until about mid-June, we may receive as many as 15-40 calls per day. We generally continue to receive a few calls through the summer, largely ending by late July.
Prep List for BCBA swarm rescuers:
- Join the BCBA. You must be a current, dues-paid member of the BCBA to be on the call list. Note that these swarms are intended for club members’ personal use only; selling swarms is not permitted.
- Complete the BCBA swarm rescuer form.
- Have necessary equipment ready: Veil/jacket/suit and gloves, box and tape, vacuum, extension cords, ladder, brush, clippers, sugar water, extension pole, bucket.
- Prepare hives in advance to accept the swarm.
