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1. DON'T PANIC - when bees are swarming they are generally very docile and show no
aggressive tendencies. They will merely find a suitable spot to gather, as a temporary measure,
while they send out scouts to find a more permanent cavity as a new home. They are not too choosy
about where this temporary spot will be, it could be in a tree/bush, on a clothesline, a fence, a bicycle,
anywhere that they can land to form a cluster.
2. MAKE A MENTAL NOTE - of where they are (would a ladder
be needed to get at them?) roughly the size of the swarm (tennis
ball, football, etc), and how long it has been in this spot. Then
armed with this information...
3. FIND A LOCAL BEEKEEPER - Use
our Swarmlist to identify a beekeeper in the East Bay and
give them a call. If you don't find someone near you, local officials
usually have lists of local beekeepers who have been willing to
collect swarms in the past. Check with your local police, animal
or vector control, or wildlife museums and zoos. Most hobbiests
don't have room for more than a few swarms, so you may have to
make a few calls to find someone who can help. Think of the bees
you're saving! It's worth it.
4. AT A SAFE DISTANCE - Sit back, watch and wait for the
beekeeper to arrive. Any beekeeper will tell you that there is
something very magical about a swarm. There is an electric feeling
in the air, as the bees swirl round before clustering in a ball.
Watching a swarm hived is an experience that you will never forget.
If the beekeeper throws down a sheet you'll see them march into
the darkness of the hive - as if someone had given an army its
marching orders.
5. TELL OTHERS of your experience. All too often, bees
get very bad press. Honey bees are not the same as the wasps at
the summer picnic. You will, by now, know differently, of course,
as you will have seen at first hand just how docile and truly
magical these little insects can be.
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Mt. Diablo Beekeepers Association (MDBA) is
dedicated to educating communities about honeybees and the historic
art of beekeeping.
The MDBA is one of the largest bee associations
in the United States with 120 members from around the world. The
MDBA meets at 7:30 PM on the second Thursday of every month, except
November and December, at Heather Farm Garden Center in Walnut
Creek, California.
Each month, the MDBA presents a different
speaker on a variety of topics and has an open forum for people
to exchange ideas and helpful tips.
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