A honeybee swarm is the colony’s natural method of reproduction, where the old queen and roughly half the worker bees leave the original hive to find a new home. This cluster of bees, often found resting on a branch or structure, is typically docile because the bees are engorged with honey reserves and lack a hive to defend. Safely interacting with and relocating these beneficial pollinators requires proper preparation. Learning how to capture a swarm is a sustainable way to support the bee population and acquire a new colony.
Distinguishing Bees from Wasps and Hornets
Accurately identifying the insect is necessary for safety and choosing the correct approach. Bees, especially honeybees and bumblebees, have rounder, robust bodies covered in dense, fuzzy hairs that help them collect pollen. Wasps and hornets are sleek and mostly hairless, featuring a distinct, narrow waist between the thorax and abdomen. Honeybees are generally a duller gold and brown, while many common wasps, like yellow jackets, display a brighter, more defined black and yellow pattern.
Behaviorally, bees are herbivores focused on gathering nectar and pollen and are generally non-aggressive, stinging only when threatened or their hive is disturbed. Wasps and hornets are predators and scavengers; they can be significantly more aggressive, often stinging repeatedly without losing their stinger. If the cluster is a paper-nesting wasp or a hornet, professional removal is the safest option, as gentle bee relocation methods are not appropriate for aggressive insects.
Essential Gear and Safety Measures
Preparation is a prerequisite for safely handling a swarm, starting with mandatory personal protective equipment. A full beekeeping suit, including a veil and sturdy gloves, is required to guard against stings. Wearing thick socks and closed-toe shoes is also important to ensure complete body coverage.
Essential tools for the capture include a transport container, such as a ventilated nucleus box or a clean cardboard box, and a soft bee brush for gently guiding the insects. A smoker, filled with natural fuel like pine needles, helps to calm the bees by masking their alarm pheromones and encouraging them to gorge on honey.
Safety Protocols
Key safety protocols involve working during mild weather conditions, ideally during the mid-day when most bees are out foraging. It is also important to confirm the person capturing the swarm is not allergic to stings.
Active Methods for Capturing a Swarm
Actively capturing a visible, settled swarm typically involves one of two primary methods depending on the swarm’s location. The “Shake Method” is used when the bees are clustered on a flexible branch that can be moved. The goal is to place the transport box directly beneath the cluster and give the branch a single, sharp shake, causing the majority of the bees to drop immediately into the container.
Shake Method Completion
Immediately after the drop, the box should be mostly closed, leaving a small opening for stragglers to enter. Workers will quickly realize the queen is inside and begin “Nasonov fanning,” releasing an orientation pheromone to guide the remaining bees into the new space.
Scoop/Brush Method
If the swarm is on a flat, non-shakeable surface, like a fence post or wall, the “Scoop/Brush Method” is used. The box is placed next to the cluster, and the bees are gently swept or scooped into the container using a bee brush or a gloved hand.
Once the majority of the swarm is inside, the container should be left at the site until sundown. This allows all foraging bees to return and join the cluster. Leaving the container open just enough for entry ensures the entire colony, including the queen, is secured for transport. The container can then be sealed completely after dark and moved to its permanent location.
Setting Up Passive Swarm Traps
A proactive approach involves setting up passive swarm traps, or bait hives, to attract swarms before they settle in an undesirable location. Honeybees prefer a cavity volume between 40 and 60 liters, approximately the size of a standard deep hive body. The trap should be made of a sturdy material, such as wood, with a small entrance hole about one inch in diameter.
To make the trap appealing, it should contain a few frames, ideally with old, dark drawn comb, as this material mimics a previously used nesting site. Effectiveness is increased by adding a swarm lure, often a compound containing Nasonov pheromone or lemongrass essential oil. This scent mimics the chemical signal scout bees use to mark a suitable new home.
The trap’s placement is a factor in its success, with an ideal height of 8 to 15 feet off the ground, positioned in a shaded area at the edge of a clearing. This simulates the natural cavities bees seek out in trees. Checking these traps every two weeks allows for timely relocation of a captured swarm before they become too established in the trap box.