People are understandably alarmed when a honey bee swarm in Westerville OH invades their residential property. Sometimes this is a swarm of wild bees, but it might be a beekeeper’s colony that took off with the goal of establishing a new hive. Either way, the best solution is to call for professional help to safely remove the insects, so they are not harmed. The bees are extremely valuable for crop pollination.
Getting a Beekeeper
A beekeeper will want this honey bee swarm in Westerville OH whether it’s a domestic colony or a wild one. If it’s a domestic group, the beekeeper can network to find out where it belongs. Otherwise, the colony can be brought back to the beekeeper’s property and given a home there. The insects will quickly get busy settling in and building a honeycomb nest.
Colony Collapse Disorder
Many people are aware of the need to save honey bees whenever possible since colony collapse disorder has dramatically reduced the population. Researchers still are unsure what causes this disorder, which results in adult bees abandoning the queen and the youngsters. The bees aren’t found as piles of dead insects; they simply disappear.
Colony collapse disorder might be caused by pesticides that damage a bee’s ability to communicate or find its way home. Bees also are killed directly by these poisons, often unintentionally. Property owners are encouraged to avoid spraying insecticides indiscriminately outside, such as on fruit trees on the residential property that could be a haven for honey bees and other pollinating insects. Pesticide spray also tends to drift away in the breeze, and it can kill beneficial pollinating bugs like bumblebees and butterflies.
A Giant Mass of Insects
A swarm can weigh up to 10 lbs. and contain thousands of bees. It’s no wonder people are frightened when they see and hear that giant mass of insects buzzing around together in a tree. Usually, a swarm only stops for a short time on the residential property and continues onward to a more isolated location, but sometimes a cavity in a tree or an abandoned birdhouse looks inviting. People can ask for assistance from an organization like The Wildlife Control Company. Check Out for details.