Honey Bees

Honey bees are in decline in the UK - it is important that we do all we can to protect the honey bee.

It is part of a honey bee's natural colony lifecycle to swarm at some point - as beekeepers, we try to control this with our own colonies, but wild colonies, and mismanaged colonies will always continue to release the occasional swarm.

How do I get rid of them?

If you have a swarm of bees you'd like moved on, please look up the contact details of your nearest swarm collector through the British Beekeepers website.

The swarm collector will come along and, wherever possible, contain the entire swarm and take it away, where he/she will be able to properly install it into a hive, where the colony can expand, and live happily ever after !

What will it cost to remove them?

Many beekeepers will remove easily-accessible swarms for free - but some will charge for expenses (petrol etc.). If you think you're being charged too much - find another beekeeper!

More difficult to reach bees, for example those in chimneys, or in cavity walls require specialist knowledge to extract in a manner safe for both bee and human. It is likely that you will have to pay a premium for these services.

Can't I just kill them?

Absolutely not! Honey bees are in decline, and we should be doing all we can to protect them. Honey bees are vital to crop pollination in the UK, and can almost always be relocated safely and without the loss of the colony.

Neither individuals, nor pest controllers should destroy a colony of honey bees, without consultation from a beekeeper, who will decide if the colony can be relocated.

We really would urge you not to destroy honey bee colonies - it is exceptionally rare that a colony cannot be peacefully moved on, given a new home, and go on to produce lots of tasty honey for us all to enjoy!

If you do get to the point of having a colony exterminated - please ask the exterminator to ensure the colony has been completey sealed off. Failure to do so could result in healthy bees from other colonies visiting after the death of the colony, stealing food (and poison) and killing off their own colony in the process- this is obviously not acceptable.