Swarm is the term that many people use when they see thousands of bees flying together. The sight of all of the bees frightens many people. Many people grab a can of bug spray or a garden hose to chase the bees away. When people do that, the bees usually sting them.
Scientists think that honeybees are the only bees that swarm. They live in colonies that continue from year to year. A honeybee colony has a queen and thousands of workers. The queen can produce more than 1,000 eggs every day.
When the colony gets too large, the queen produces special eggs that develop into new queens. One of the new queens survive and develops into an adult. When the new queen is mature, she mates with male bee. After the new queen has been inseminated, the old queen leaves the colony. Some of the workers go with her when she flies away.
The honeybees fly in search of a new nesting site. During their migration, they stop to rest periodically. These “rest stops” are often in places that are occupied by humans. The sight of thousands of honeybees frightens many people and sometimes causes panic.
There have been cases of people calling 911because of a swarm of bees. In one case, the caller wanted the Fire Department to come spray the bees with a fire hose. The local TV station sometimes sends a news crew when the bees stop in a public place like a sports field or a mall parking lot.
In fact, honeybees that are migrating usually only stop for a short time. The bees rest in trees or a similar place that is off of the ground. The rest stops last for a day or two at most and then the bees move on.
During the migration, the bees are usually very docile. They have no nest to defend, so the workers are not usually aggressive. If they are provoked, however, they will sting.
Scientists recommend that people stay as far from a honeybee swarm as possible. In some cases, a beekeeper can bring a hive and collect the swarm of bees. In most cases, the bees will leave in a few hours if they are left alone.
If the bees choose a building as their new nesting site, they can threaten the safety of the people inside the building. When honeybees have made their nest on a building or inside of it, they must be removed. In many areas of the country, beekeepers will come remove honeybees from a building.
If the beekeeper cannot come to remove the bees, the last choice is to use insecticide. Many people prefer to have a pest control professional treat for bees or other stinging insects. The pest control professional will have the proper safety equipment and the necessary treating equipment.
After the bees have been removed from inside the walls or attic of a home, the homeowner should arrange to have all of the honey and honeycombs removed. Without any bees to keep the comb cool, it might melt in hot weather. This will cause an unpleasant odor and an unsightly stain. It can also attract Dermestid beetles and other scavenging insects.