What to do when you find a swarm of HONEY BEES
Access the New York State Swarm Catcher Directory
What to do when you find a swarm of HONEY BEES
For detailed information about the topics below, click on the image for a PDF of the Honey Bee Swarm Catchers of New York State by Cornell CALS.
- Honey bee swarms
- What should I do if I see a swarm?
- Some beekeepers remove established honey bee colonies, wasp nests, and carpenter bees
- Distinguishing honey bees from other insects
NEW YORK STATE SWARM CATCHERS IN SENECA COUNTY
| AREAS SERVED | BEEKEEPER'S NAME | CONTACT INFO | CATCHES SWARMS? | PERFORMS EXTRACTIONS? |
| County-wide | Gigi Marks & Blair Tily |
(607) 229-6905 (607) 277-8280 |
Yes | Yes |
| Ovid, Romulus, Lodi, Covert | Duane Waid | Home (607) 532-4391 Cell (607) 220-9556 |
Yes | Please inquire |
| Northern Seneca County | Dennis Riegel | Cell (315) 729-0704 |
Yes | No |
What is a swarm? (Information provided by the Finger Lakes Beekeepers Club)
Swarming is nature's way of increasing the number of honey bee colonies in the world. Swarms usually are seen in May or June. When airborne they seem huge but generally range in size from a football to a basketball. Some are much larger. Honey bee swarms are usually very docile, not having a home to defend. They often are observed in transit. These migrating swarms are very desirable to beekeepers who like to collect swarms. Once they take up residence in a wall or chimney, they are much harder to deal with. Many beekeepers do not have the skill or inclination to tackle the removal of bees from such predicaments.
Ultimately, if honey bees get into your walls, you may have to call an exterminator. Bees, once on your property, belong to you and you can do with them what you see fit. They are not an endangered species, nor is it illegal to kill them if they become a nuisance. We hope you will give our beekeepers a chance to rescue them, however. Please do not call beekeepers about hornets, wasps, bumble bees, carpenter bees, yellow jackets, termites or spiders. Honey bees are recognized by their small size and their downy appearance. Other insects may be similar in color.
Last updated August 22, 2019