DON'T DESTROY SWARMS
Swarming bees are a natural occurrence, and bees are least likely to sting when swarming.
Encountering a bee swarm for the first time can be alarming. Bees tend to swarm near their hives or honeycombs, so if a swarm is visible then a nest is probably nearby. Swarms are usually not aggressive unless provoked, so it is important to keep a good distance from the swarm. If the bees feel threatened, they will use their stingers and release a pheromone to alert the other bees of the threat resulting in a large bee attack.
Swarming is the natural means of reproduction of honey bee colonies. A swarm of bees may frighten people, however swarming bees are usually not aggressive. Unless collected by a beekeeper swarm clusters will move on and find a suitable nesting location in a day or two.
Call a local beekeeping club and a grateful beekeeper will likely collect bees for free to establish a new hive. We have list of club members below who will collect swarms for free.
It is almost impossible to remove a swarm from walls or ceilings, you will probablty have to call an exterminator to remove a swarm from inside a wall or ceiling cavity.
However - some of our catchers listed below may be able to help.
We have club member beekeepers all over the Waikato who will collect swarms for free.
If you find a swarm in Hamilton or the Waikato area please contact one of the following:
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Area & Availability | Name | Phone |
---|---|---|
Hamilton North/Rototuna/Huntington/Flags | Frank Jeanplong | 02108215185 |
Huntly Taupiri Morrinsville Hamilton | Bryan Scott | 021 179 3025 |
Hamilton City & surrounds | Stephen Lovelock | 0273229302 |
Otorohanga | Carol Dodunski | 0212166653 |
Cambridge,TeAwamutu,Hamilton | David Blair | 027 459 8645 |
Hamilton/ surrounding | Brett Coxhead | 021 288 8536 |
Huntly/ Te Akau / Naike /Glenn Murray | Alexander Stoehr | 021737867 |
Ngaruawahia | Sarah Cross | 027 637 6289 |
Hamilton / Ngaruawahia | Richard Wakelin | 0274991428 |
Hamilton and surrounds | Paula Moneypenny | 0274712165 |
Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Paeroa, Orini. | Pieter Van Der Westhuizen | 021 392 740 |
Hamilton City East of River | Carl Saunders | 0274 886 713 |
Hamilton & Surrounding area | Tim O'Neill | 027 451 0573 |
Ham, West/South to Te A. Have a Bee Vac | Neil Johnstone | 027 276 9749 |