•July 14, 2021•
By Jerry L. Ginther
NP Guest Writer

What should you do if a swarm of honeybees should happen to land in your yard?
Let’s start with safety first. If you don’t want them, leave them alone. While it is true that honeybees are more docile and less likely to sting while they are swarmed, it does happen. However, if left undisturbed they will usually depart for their new home within a few hours, but may stay two or three days while scout bees search for a suitable location to start their new colony. The latter situation is rare.
It is amazing, though, how often they land on a bush or small tree close to the ground where they are easily accessible. That being the case, if you know a beekeeper and you feel the need to be rid of them sooner, rather than later, give that person a call. Beekeepers will often come to your aid whether they really want the bees or not. Some beekeepers may be reluctant to hive a swarm due to the possibility that they could be infected with foulbrood, a disease that destroys the larva stage of the developing brood. This possibility exists whether the bees have escaped from a local apiary or are a swarm of wild bees.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.