It can be alarming to look outside and see hundreds of bees buzzing around your yard. Your first instinct may be to grab the insecticide and start spraying. However, bees are extremely important pollinators and you should avoid harming them if possible. Here are some tips for dealing with the situation in a more bee-friendly way.
Understand Why the Bees Are There
Seeing a large swarm of bees in your yard doesn’t necessarily mean you have a bee “infestation” that needs eradicating. These could be honey bees that are in the process of swarming, which is how they reproduce and create new colonies
Swarming bees are actually non-threatening and the swarming behavior is a natural means for bees to reproduce, Swarms can occur most anytime throughout the year but most often occur in late spring or early summer They occur when a new queen is made in a colony,
The old queen leaves with about half of the workers to find a new nest site. This swarm will cluster on a tree branch, fence, or other surface while scout bees search for suitable cavities to establish a nest. The bees are docile during this time as they have no hive to defend. Swarms may remain in place from a few minutes to a few days before moving on.
So if you see a large swarm of bees that has recently appeared, there’s a good chance it’s just honey bees in the act of swarming. As long as they aren’t posing an immediate threat, it’s best to just leave them alone and let them move along.
Determine If It’s a Permanent Colony
However, if you notice bees buzzing around your yard on a regular basis, you may be dealing with an established colony nearby, rather than a temporary swarm. Signs of an active bee colony on your property can include:
- Bees entering or exiting a hole in a structure, tree, or the ground
- A constant stream of bee traffic to a specific spot
- The presence of wax comb if you can get close enough to inspect
- A persistent humming or buzzing sound coming from an area
If it’s confirmed to be a colony, try to pinpoint the exact location. Scout for bee activity during the day when they are most active. Follow the flight paths of incoming and outgoing bees. This detective work can help determine if they are nesting on your property or a neighbor’s.
Decide If Removal Is Necessary
If the bees are not inside a living space and not posing an immediate hazard, removal may not be necessary. Many native bee species nest in the ground or cavities. While a pile of excavated soil around a nest might look messy, the bees themselves are likely docile.
Honey bees can also set up hives in trees, sheds, or other structures without causing problems, providing valuable pollination services. Consider tolerance of the bees if they are not negatively impacting your family’s enjoyment of the property.
However, bees inside walls, chimneys or other living spaces do need to be removed as soon as possible to prevent structural damage. Bees nesting close to high traffic areas may also need to be removed out of caution.
Call a Professional Beekeeper For Removal
If it’s determined that a bee colony does need to be removed from the property, avoid attempting this yourself. Bee removal should be done by an experienced professional to avoid getting stung and disturbing the colony in a way that provokes aggressive defensive behavior.
A beekeeper can humanely relocate the colony so that it can continue pollinating other areas. This maintains local bee populations that are vital to our food system and ecosystems. They have the proper protective equipment, techniques and tools to move the bees safely.
Beekeepers may charge a fee but it will be well worth it for a smooth removal process. Some may even collect swarms for free since they can introduce the bees into their own managed colonies. Look for licensed bee removal specialists in your area.
Follow Up With Prevention
After a bee problem is resolved, take measures to prevent future colonies from getting established. For bees nesting in the ground, discourage them by improving irrigation and lawn density in those areas.
Block potential entry points on structures by sealing cracks, holes, and gaps with caulk, foam, hardware cloth, or other excluders. This helps prevent scout bees from finding appealing nesting sites on your property again next season.
You can also decorate areas with fake wasp nests made from paper bags. Bees avoid settling too close to these natural enemies. Stop using insecticides and other chemicals that harm bee populations. Support bees by planting pollinator-friendly flowers!
Bees Are Beneficial
Having hundreds of bees flying through your yard may seem disconcerting. But try to remember these important pollinators are not out to get you! Their presence indicates a healthy environment. A hands-off approach is recommended if the bees are not directly endangering you. With some adjustments, your yard can coexist peacefully with bees.
What Makes Honey Bees Swarm?
Generally, there are two reasons why honey bees swarm: lack of space and colony reproduction. When there is a swarm, the queen bee leaves the current colony with about half of the bees and starts looking for a new place to live. But there are a few things that need to be done around the hive before they can leave.
First, the current queen bee begins to lay eggs into “queen cups”. Other bees in the hive build these queen cups, which are used to hold and grow the queen’s eggs. Sometime, one of these eggs will hatch and become the new queen. But first, the current queen and half of her colony will leave the hive. However, the queen is heavy and tired due to the constant reproduction of eggs. So, the other bees in the hive “lighten” her by stopping the reproduction process. Once she is strong enough to fly, the swarm begins.
After the existing queen and her colony leave the hive, they usually don’t get very far. The queen is tired, and still needs to rest so the swarm may only be a few feet from the existing hive! The honey bees then find a safe space to land and surround the queen, hence the swarm. Scouting honey bees fly around to find a new place to colonize, then democratically decide where their next colony should be—take the time to read about it, it’s amazing. Meanwhile, back at the hive, the new queen has hatched. In order to declare herself as the sole queen, she infiltrates all of the queen cups and kills any other potential queens. Now, there are two existing honey bee colonies, meaning more bees to pollinate our ecosystem!
What A Honey Bee Swarm Is, What It Means & What To Do If You Find One
Recently, people are realizing the environmental importance of honey bees. Now that more people know about bees thanks to campaigns like Cheerios’ “Save the Bees,” many are doing what they can to protect these tiny flying insects. All of these efforts to save bees, though, seem to go out the window when someone sees a swarm of honey bees around their house. Even though a swarm of honey bees might look scary, we can assure you that there is nothing to be scared of! Of course, no one wants thousands of bees buzzing around their house. You should know what a honey bee swarm is, what it means, and what to do if you find one near your home. Honey bees swarm for a reason. We want you to keep reading this blog to learn more about honey bees and their swarms, but first we want to stress how important it is to be careful when handling a swarm. There is a swarm of honey bees in your yard or house. Do not be scared or try to kill them. You can either wait for the bees to leave without a fight, or you can call a pest control professional or a local beekeeper right away to get rid of the swarm without hurting the honey bees or your home. Now that we’ve talked about that, let’s start by talking about what a honey bee swarm is.
How To Get Rid Of Ground Nesting Bees
FAQ
Why do I have hundreds of bees in my yard?
Why are there so many bees in my lawn?
What to do if there is a swarm of bees in your yard?
Why are so many bees dying in my yard?
How do I keep bees out of my yard?
Try to get rid of standing water in your yard like birdbaths, rain gutters, and flower pots. Bees love wet ground! If you eliminate these things from your backyard you will be doing a great job at keeping bees out of the area and protecting yourself as well.
Are bees destroying your yard?
Hundreds of small mounds and swarms of bees often trigger calls to exterminators or landscape professionals. Homeowners fear that they will be attacked and stung as they bend over to pick up the paper and they believe that the bees are actively damaging their yard and want them gone. This is not the case.
Do you have a swarm of bees in your backyard?
As more people discover the joys of beekeeping, it’s not surprising that some homeowners find themselves with an unwanted swarm buzzing around their backyard. While bees are free to fly around wherever they please, there are some steps you can take to keep bees out of your backyard.
What attracts bees to your yard?
Honeybees like their hives to be protected and will find vents, crevices, eaves, and soffits to build their homes. Either way, once you know what attracts the bees to your yard, it’s time to make some changes so that the bees don’t stick around. If you have a beehive on your property, you will have bees in your yard.
Can you get stung by a bee in your backyard?
While there is a risk of getting stung by a bee in your backyard, the truth is you can get stung anywhere. However, if bees make you nervous or uncomfortable you’ll want to do everything you can to keep them out of your yard so you can enjoy your space.
Should you keep bees away from your backyard?
You want your backyard to be and inviting and relaxing space for your family to enjoy. The risk of a child or family member going into anaphylactic shock from an allergic reaction to a bee sting is more than enough of a reason to try to do whatever you can to keep bees as far away as possible.