Picture this: It’s a beautiful late spring day in Buffalo, NY. You’re getting ready to enjoy a weekend at Canalside or maybe just fire up the grill in your own backyard in Cheektowaga.
Then you see it—a huge, buzzing, swirling mass of bees has taken up residence on a tree branch, a fence post, or maybe even your kid’s swing set.
Your first instinct might be a jolt of panic. Your second might be to reach for a can of insecticide.
Take a deep breath. We’re here to tell you that finding a bee swarm is actually a fascinating natural event, and it’s not nearly as dangerous as it looks. More importantly, how you react in the next few moments matters—for your safety, and for the health of our Western New York ecosystem.
This guide will walk you through exactly what to do (and what not to do) when you discover a bee swarm in Erie County.
First Off, What Exactly Is a Bee Swarm?
That giant, humming clump of bees isn’t an angry mob. It’s a colony on the move. A bee swarm is simply a large group of honey bees that has split off from an established hive with a queen to start a new colony.
They are essentially homeless and looking for a new place to live.
Here’s the key thing to understand: swarming bees are typically at their most docile.
Why? They don’t have a hive full of honey and young bees to defend. Their main goal is to protect the queen in the center of the cluster and find a suitable new home, whether that’s a hollow tree in Delaware Park or, unfortunately, sometimes the wall of a house.
They’ve filled up on honey before leaving their old home, making them full, content, and less inclined to sting.
The Golden Rule for Bee Swarms: Do Not Spray Them!
Honey bees are vital pollinators for the agriculture that surrounds us here in Western New York, from the apple orchards to our own backyard gardens. Spraying a swarm with pesticides kills thousands of these beneficial insects unnecessarily.
While you might be thinking of a more aggressive pest, it’s crucial to know what you’re dealing with. If you see a fuzzy, golden-brown insect in a large, exposed cluster, you’re likely looking at honey bees.
If you’re dealing with aggressive, smooth-bodied yellow insects flying in and out of a paper-like nest, you probably have yellow jackets or wasps. The approach for those is very different, and for your safety, often requires professional bee removal. But for a gentle honey bee swarm, the solution is much simpler and more helpful.
Your Step-by-Step Guide to Handling a Bee Swarm
So what’s the right way to handle the situation? It’s surprisingly simple.
Step 1: Keep a Calm, Safe Distance
While swarming bees are not aggressive, they are still wild animals.
- Keep a respectful distance of at least 25 feet.
- Secure the area by bringing children and pets indoors.
- Don’t squirt the swarm with a hose, throw things at it, or try to knock it down. This will only agitate the bees.
The swarm is just resting. It will likely move on by itself within a day or two once its scouts have found a permanent home.
Step 2: Determine if It’s a Swarm or an Established Hive
Is the cluster of bees hanging from a branch out in the open? That’s a swarm, and it’s temporary.
Have the bees disappeared into a hole in your siding, under your porch steps, or into the eaves of your roof?
This is no longer a swarm; it’s a new, established hive. This is a more complex situation that requires a different approach.
Step 3: Call the Right People (Hint: It’s Not an Exterminator… Yet)
For a simple, exposed bee swarm, your best friends are local beekeepers. They see a swarm not as a pest, but as a prize—a free colony of bees for their apiary!
Most beekeepers in the Buffalo area will happily come to your property and collect the swarm for free.
Here are some excellent resources for finding a local beekeeper in Erie County:
- The Western New York Honey Producers Association: This is a fantastic local organization. They often have a list of members who are willing to collect swarms.
- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County: A trusted local resource, they can often point you in the direction of beekeepers and provide sound, science-based advice. You can find their contact information on their official website.
When a Bee Swarm Becomes a Structural Problem
Now, what if that swarm has already moved from the tree branch into the wall of your classic North Buffalo home?
This is where the situation changes. Once bees have taken up residence inside a structure, it’s no longer a simple swarm collection. It’s now a structural removal that requires specialized skills and equipment. Most beekeepers are not equipped or insured to open up walls, siding, or roofs.
Here at Buffalo Exterminators, this is where our expertise comes in. We understand the unique challenges presented by older homes and the diverse building styles across Erie County.
Our approach focuses on removing the bees, the comb, and any honey from the structure to prevent future problems like rot, mold, and attracting other pests. We bridge the gap between a beekeeper’s love for bees and a homeowner’s need to protect their property.
Your Local Partner in Pest Solutions
Living in Western New York means coexisting with incredible nature, and sometimes that nature gets a little too close for comfort. A bee swarm in your yard can be startling, but it’s a problem with a positive solution.
To recap:
- Stay Calm & Keep Your Distance: A swarm is temporary and usually docile.
- Don’t Spray: Honey bees are too important to our local environment.
- Call a Beekeeper: For an exposed swarm, a local beekeeper is your best resource.
- Know When to Call a Pro: If bees have moved into your home’s structure, you need specialized help.
For residents from Orchard Park to Amherst and all across the Buffalo, NY area, if you find yourself with a bee problem that’s more than just a temporary swarm, Buffalo Exterminators is here to help.
We provide safe, effective solutions that protect your home and respect our local ecosystem.