Swarms

If you've found a swarm of honey bees, don't panic! Swarms are a natural part of the honey bee lifecycle and are generally not aggressive when they're swarming.

When a honey bee colony becomes too large, the queen and a portion of the worker bees will leave the hive to form a new colony. This is called swarming. The swarm will typically cluster on a tree branch, fence, or other structure while scout bees search for a new home.

Not sure if what you've found is a honey bee swarm? Check the BBKA bee identification guide to confirm what type of bees you have.

If you've found a swarm of honey bees, your local beekeeping association can help. They have experienced beekeepers who can safely collect the swarm and relocate it to a new hive.

To find your local beekeeping association, visit the British Beekeepers Association website. You can also use the BBKA swarm collector map to find a beekeeper near you who can help with a swarm.

For swarms in the Leeds area, you can contact the Leeds Beekeepers Association or visit their swarm coordinator page for more information.