Honey bees
Honey bees are the only bee that swarms. This usually occurs in the late spring when a new queen bee splits away from her parent colony to create a nest.
Swarms can contain many thousands of bees and are usually seen in a large football-sized clumps hanging from tree branches or similar structures.
The swarms may move several times before finally settling and it is during this period that bee keepers are often called to capture the swarm and remove it to a hive.
Honey bees in your chimney
If you see a swarm of bees land in or around your chimney you must react immediately. Once honey bees start to build a nest in a chimney they can be extremely difficult to remove.
It is recommended that you turn on your fire (if you have one) and leave it on as long as possible to see if the heat, fumes or smoke will encourage the bees to move.
Do not attack a swarm - contact a bee keeper
Never throw things at or try to set fire to a swarm of bees this will not only kill a precious species but could anger them so that they attack passers by.
It is very easy for a bee keeper to collect a swarm and so early contact with a bee keeper is essential.
Either Public Protection, the police or the British Bee Keepers Association will have contact details for local bee keepers.
If the nests cannot be removed a private pest control company may have to be called to treat the nest.
Further information
For information on any of these subjects contact Public Protection.
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