If you have a swarm of bees on your property, you may wonder whether a beekeeper will remove them for free. While some beekeepers do offer their services for free, others will charge you a fee.
Removing swarms and established colonies is a specialized and dangerous job that requires a lot of training, specialized equipment and experience. It also involves transportation, hive equipment and materials to set up the new location.
Do beekeepers remove bees for free?
If you have a swarm of bees on your property, it’s best to contact a beekeeper first. Some will remove the bees for free, others will charge a fee.
Bee removal is a specialised field and requires knowledge of bee biology, equipment and tools. It also requires the skill to open and clean up bee hives, and repair or replace any damaged parts.
You can find beekeepers in your area via a local beekeeping association. Some may even have a Facebook page where they promote their services.
However, be sure to choose a beekeeper who can provide you with an accurate quote and ensure that they can do the work on your property. For example, if your bees are in your walls or under your soffits you’ll likely need a contractor to do the work.
Do beekeepers take bees for free?
Beekeepers generally do not remove bees for free. This is because it is a time-consuming, dangerous, and specialized task that requires expertise.
Honey bees are a valuable resource, and there are many ways to benefit from them. For example, they help pollinate crops and reduce pest populations.
However, bees can also become a nuisance. They can swarm, and their stingers can be painful.
A swarm occurs when a queen and a portion of the worker bees (usually from 5,000 to 25,000) leave their hive. This usually happens on a warm day and is a sign that the bees are looking for a new home.
Swarms often move to a tree, or a nearby roof or a car. They’ll alight and settle in a tight cluster while a few scout bees reconnoitre a new homesite.
If you see a swarm on your property, give it a day or two to settle in. Most swarms will leave on their own for a more permanent home.
Do beekeepers relocate bees for free?
A honey bee swarm is a cluster of bees that leave their old hive to find a new home. Bees swarm when they have outgrown their current colony or when the queen dies and leaves to find another one.
If you have a swarm on your property, it’s best to call a beekeeper. They will be able to relocate the bees to their new location.
However, some beekeepers will charge you for this service. This is because they may have to make changes to your home or other structure in order to remove the bees and their comb.
When you search for a beekeeper, look for those who specialize in removing swarms and relocated colonies. This is a much more complex process than removing hives from trees or bushes and can require more skill and experience.
Do beekeepers remove swarms for free?
Honey bees swarm when their hive becomes too full and they leave the nest to find a new home. The old queen and about half of the swarm’s worker bees leave to form a new colony.
A swarming cluster of honey bees may look disconcerting, but they’re typically very docile. They’re looking for a new home and are not likely to be aggressive, although some will try to defend themselves.
If you have a swarm, the first step is to locate a beekeeper who can remove the swarm for free. Beekeepers can sometimes be found through local beekeeping associations and/or by searching Facebook pages for beekeeping groups.
Removing a swarm from a tree or a man-made structure is usually straightforward, but if they have made a nest inside of a building it’s much more complex. This can involve cutting through the wall or roof, removing bees and combs, re-filling with insulation and re-closing the cavity.
