Swarm Rescue (draft of new section at top of page)

• The Bee Guild trains members on the techniques to capture swarms including communication and safety concerns.  
• The trained Bee Guild members volunteer to capture honey bee swarms on private or public property–in most cases for free.
• If you have a swarm on your property, don't panic. Bee swarms are a natural response to an overcrowded hive and half or more of the colony depart to look for a new nesting cavity. 
• With no brood nest to defend they are at their calmest. 
• A swarm may cluster for a few hours or a few days before flying off to look for a more permanent home. 
• For the safety of the bees, and the neighborhood, it is best if the bees are collected and given a proper home, before they move into a house wall or other structure. 
• The Santa Clara Valley Beekeepers Guild makes the swarm reporting and list available as an educational service to the public. 
• While we do our best to train and vet those on these lists, we are neither an oversight nor certification organization for beekeepers. Though problems are very rare, members of the public engage individual beekeepers via this process on their own accord.
• If you are satisfied with the swarm service provided consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Bee Guild!

 

Step 1 -  Safety Assessment
Don't try to move the swarm
Don't spray it with anything
Do keep pets and people away

Step 2 -  Identification

Is it honey bees, or wasps or hornets?

- Bee guild members can only rescue honey bees. 

- See below for info about what to do with wasps, hornets, etc. 

Is it a bee swarm in a temporary location, or a bee colony that lives in a tree or structure?

- Bee swarms in a temporary location, which are easy to access. 

- Guild members are trained for these types of bee swarm rescues, typically for free.

- Bee colonies in a tree or structure, which require a bee removal specialist. 

- Colony removal requires special skills, and typically requires a fee. 

Step 3: Report the colony or swarm in the form below.

- Please include a photo so the beekeeper can evaluate the difficulty of rescuing the swarm.

- If it is a colony in a structure, then indicate whether it is in a tree or structure, and provide additional information about the location.  

- A beekeeper will contact you to get more details, and arrange to come and rescue swarm, or remove the colony.

Bee Swarmed Reporting iFrame- integration Testing The SCVBG has partnered with “Swarmed” to use their streamlined Bee Colony and Swarm reporting service, so after you report a colony in the form below you should look for emails from: “Swarmed” or info@beeswarmed.org Powered by Swarmed: