Orpington Beekeepers' Association

If you have wasps, or indeed any other insects apart from honey bees or bumble bees, I'm afraid we can't help with those! 

Honey Bee Swarm being collected.

I have included some useful links which give advice regarding bumble bees and wasps. These are the most likely insects to be mistaken for honey bees:

http://hercules.users.netlink.co.uk/Bee.html

http://www.the-piedpiper.co.uk/th4.htm

Honey Bees will swarm as a means of reproduction. The old queen will produce a new queen before she leaves the hive - normally with a large proportion of the flying bees. A good beekeeper will try to prevent this happening but we’re fighting against natural instincts here – so the bees sometimes get the better of us!

Before setting off from the hive the bees will have taken on stores of honey to help them set up in their new home and will be intent on sticking together in a well fed little group until the scouts flying around have found them a new home. They are usually docile and uninterested in humans at this stage so if you leave them alone they will leave you alone!

A charge may be made for collecting swarms and this will need to be agreed at the time. We will respond as quickly as possible but visits cannot be guaranteed.

If you find a swarm of bees, or bumble bees that you want help with, then contact:

Tony Trinick on 01689 820838

Watching a swarm being collected is fascinating so let us know if you would like us to bring along a bee suit for you so that you can be part of the experience.