Honey Bee Relocation 101: A Look at Some Common Questions
Posted on: 7 August 2020
A swarm of honey bees may not be the most welcome sight on your property, but there are honey bee relocation services that can help. Here is a look at some of the questions you may have about honey bee relocation.
Why is it important to relocate the bees instead of exterminating them?
In nature, honey bees serve such a vital role in the ecosystem. Bees act as some of the primary pollinators for certain types of crops and plants found in natural habitats. Due to lacking bee populations in some parts of the world, some of the most important plants are at risk of extinction. When you find a beehive on your property, having it relocated means that the colony of bees gets to live on, reproduce, and continue to do their important job in nature.
Where are the bees taken to when they are relocated?
Typically, honey bee relocation service providers will work with a list of beekeepers who are always on the lookout for a new colony for their operation. If there are no local beekeepers willing to take the colony in, the honey bees will be taken to a natural habitat where they can thrive and continue to do their part for the environment. For example, if you have a national park or a wildlife reserve area in your state, the bees may be taken to such places with the permission of the overseeing entity.
What is the honey bee relocation process like?
The honey bee relocation process takes a bit longer than the usual extermination process. The professionals will go to great lengths to ensure the hive and colony are not disturbed during the relocation process or that they are distressed as little as possible. Usually, the beehive will be collected early in the morning before sunrise or after dark because this is when the bees are the least active. The relocation service will schedule a good time to remove the hive with you as the property owner.
Once on the property, the professionals will work to detach the beehive from whatever it is built upon, the hive and colony will be contained in a hive box, and then it will be transported to the new location. You may see a few remaining bees after the hive is relocated, but the insects should dissipate rather quickly as they go off in search of a new colony.
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