Jeremy Rhoden: Yikes! It’s a swarm of bees!
It’s that time of year again when we begin getting calls about sightings of honey bee swarms. Coming across a swarm can be very scary, but there’s no need to panic! Honey bees have no interest in hurting anyone during this time. They are simply taking a break from flying, and generally that break is no more than 48-hours.
Honey bee swarming is a natural process in which an existing population divides to create a new, separate nest. This generally occurs when a hive has become too populated and/or the queen’s pheromones can no longer control the workforce of the hive. When this happens, the old queen leaves with half of the colony, and a new queen takes over the remainder of the original hive.
The bees that leave stay together in a swarm with the queen centered in the middle of the mass of bees, protecting her at all costs. During this journey to find a new home, they will stop one to two times to take a break, primarily for the queen because she is not a strong flyer. This is when people normally find the swarm of bees resting on a fence, in a tree, on the side of a house, etc.
During this time, the honey bees are in their most docile state of mind. The main reason for this is because bees generally sting to protect their hives, but during swarming, the bees are hiveless and have nothing to protect. Don’t get me wrong; they can still sting, and they will if you try to provoke them, but, for the most part, they are resting for a few hours or up to a couple of days and will be on their way shortly.
What’s really interesting about the swarming process is, while the majority of the colony are at rest on a fence post, several designated worker bees are assigned to leave and scout for a new place to build a nest. As they find a new nesting site, the scouting bees will return to the colony, and each perform a “waggle” dance. Bees use waggle dances to communicate direction with one another. For example, honey bees will perform a waggle dance to indicate where a large nectar or pollen source is located or, in this case, where a great nesting site is.
The scouting bees will perform these same dances repeatedly to justify the best nesting site. The more intense the waggle dance, the better quality of the nesting location. Finally, after a long dance-off, the bee that performed the most vigorous dance will lead the colony to their new home, and the swarm will eventually disappear.
As you can see, a swarm of bees has no intent of hurting anyone, and they don’t normally stick around for too long. If you come across a swarm, do your best to leave it alone and allow mother nature to run its course. If the swarm is in a location where it could potentially be a danger, such as on a playground, entryway to your home, near an outdoor seating area, etc., contact a registered beekeeper to remove these beneficial insects to a new hive. Keep in mind, bee removal is not free. To find a registered beekeeper near you, visit entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee/extension/beekeeper-associations.
Additionally, if you contact a Pest Control Operator, they legally cannot remove the bees without exterminating them. In some cases where honey bees have become aggressive, extermination may be more appropriate, but keep in mind most of the time they are extremely docile, and extermination is not necessary. Please make your decision wisely.
It’s important to remember that the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is our only established honey bee in North America and is arguably one of the most important insect species to wildlife and mankind. More than 85% of the world’s flowering plants, and more than 125 global crop species, are dependent on insect pollinators, and many scientists and entomologists believe the honey bee is responsible for pollinating most of these plant species.
For more information, visit the Honey Bee Research and Extension Laboratory Website at entnemdept.ufl.edu/honey-bee.
April to-do list
Annuals: April is a great time to plant new varieties of coleus in the garden! They will do well in sun or shade, and provide an abundance of color. My favorite coleus variety is spitfire, and it makes a terrific, vibrant plant in the landscape!
Herbs: Have you tried nasturtiums? Their beautiful, showy flowers make them eye-popping in the landscape and herb garden. Every part of this plant, including the flowers, is edible and has a savory-peppery taste. Try it in salads or stir-fries, or simply to snack on in the garden. You can easily start growing them by seed, or you can occasionally find them as seedlings in your local garden center.
Vegetables: Plant warm-season crops, such as beans, corn and squash. Familiarize yourself with what potential pests these crops will attract, and have an integrated pest management plan to prevent or control these pests. For more information on vegetable gardening, visit edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topic_vegetable_gardening.
Lawns: If fertilizer is needed, apply after new growth appears. Avoid “Weed and Feed” products, and instead stick to a fertilizer with little or no phosphorus, unless a soil test indicates it is needed. It’s best practice to have a soil nutrient analysis done prior to applying nutrients. For more information on getting a soil nutrient analysis done, visit turf.ifas.ufl.edu/soilkit.
Mulch: Add mulch in the landscape for weed suppression and water retention during the warmer months of the year. If possible, leave bare spots of soil in the back of garden beds for pollinators that like to nest in the soil, such as native bee species.
Upcoming Events with UF/IFAS Extension, Marion County: Master Gardener Volunteer Information Meeting: 2-3:30 p.m. May 10. Free. Interested in becoming a Master Gardener Volunteer? Join us for an information session; Marion County Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale: 8 a.m-noon May 11, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala.
— Jeremy Rhoden is the Urban and Residential Horticulture Extension Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator at the UF/IFAS Extension Marion County. For more information, contact the office at 671-8400. The Extension Service is located at 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala, FL 34470.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Jeremy Rhoden: Yikes! It’s a swarm of bees!
