DON'T DESTROY SWARMS
Swarming bees are a natural occurrence, and bees are least likely to sting when swarming.
Encountering a bee swarm for the first time can be alarming. Bees tend to swarm near their hives or honeycombs, so if a swarm is visible then a nest is probably nearby. Swarms are usually not aggressive unless provoked, so it is important to keep a good distance from the swarm. If the bees feel threatened, they will use their stingers and release a pheromone to alert the other bees of the threat resulting in a large bee attack.
Swarming is the natural means of reproduction of honey bee colonies. A swarm of bees may frighten people, however swarming bees are usually not aggressive. Unless collected by a beekeeper swarm clusters will move on and find a suitable nesting location in a day or two.
Call a local beekeeping club and a grateful beekeeper will likely collect bees for free to establish a new hive. We have list of club members below who will collect swarms for free.
It is almost impossible to remove a swarm from walls or ceilings, you will probablty have to call an exterminator to remove a swarm from inside a wall or ceiling cavity.
However - some of our catchers listed below may be able to help.
We have club member beekeepers all over the Waikato who will collect swarms for free.
If you find a swarm in Hamilton or the Waikato area please contact one of the following:
Filter
Area & Availability | Name | Phone |
---|---|---|
Ham, West/South to Te A. Have a Bee Vac | Neil Johnstone | 027 276 9749 |
Hamilton Gordonton Taupiri & Nth Waikato | Bill Smith | 021 274 4256 |
Huntly, Hamilton, Taupiri, Te Kauwhata | Cindy van Zyl | 021 0232 8659 |
Hamilton, after work hours | Michael Kahan | 021 272 3080 |
Hamilton and surrounding | Brendon Muir | 027 2453008 |
Hamilton,Cambridge,Morrinsvile&Surrounds | David Blair | 027 459 8645 |
Hamilton | Matt Olsen | 027 492 0016 |
Hamilton area, Raglan, Pirongia | Moritz Lehmann | 027 3484 590 |
Hamilton and surrounding | Yew Lee | 021 624 833 |
Hamilton North | Bill Miles | 027 277 8200 |
Hamilton & surrounding area | Tim Pearson | 021 128 8520 |
South Hamilton & Surrounding area | Tim O'Neill | 027 451 0573 |
Ngahinapouri waipa | Lee Wilson | 027 322 6899 |
Ngaruawahia | Brian Martin | 029 7779395 |
Te Kowhai and surrounds | Michael Campbell | 021 281 0506 |
Hamilton | Brett Coxhead | 02 1288 8536 |
Flagstaff, Rototuna, Te Rapa & Surrounds | Garry Shaw | 027 492 6974 |
Hamilton area, surrounds (anytime) | Eugene Yew | 022 153 1181 |
Hamilton/Cambridge/North Waikato | Anthony Viner | 021 237 2336 |
Morrinsville/weekend only | Martin Price | 022 423 6340 |
Waikato / Waipa, surrounds | Brad Senior | 021 2069570 |
Te Awamutu | Theresa Shephard | 027 602 6728 |
Chartwell, Rototuna, Huntington, Pukete | Graham Hardaker | 027 358 8412 |
Flagstaff, Rototuna & Hamilton North | Aaron Smith | 027 359 2497 |
Hamilton East and South | Peter Gault | 027 4993 094 |
Huntly Taupiri Morrinsville Hamilton | Bryan Scott | 021 179 3025 |
Te Awamutu area | Malcolm Perano | 021 67 88 30 |
All Hamilton - wall cutouts - beevac | Phil Evans | 027 697 0374 |
Cambridge, Matangi, Tamahere & surrounds | George Payne | 0274 714 907 |
Hamilton Waikato Region | Jared Wilson | 022 028 8160 |
Cambridge / Leamington / Karapiro | Vicki Fleming | 020 402 072 62 |
Hamilton Waikato Region | Dara Dimitrov | 021 158 7478 |
Hamilton (call any time!) | Nicholas Sheffield | 027 836 5663 |
Hamilton, available anytime | Simone Sheffield | 021 183 7392 |
Hillcrest Tamahere Rukuhia Cambridge | Charles & Marion Fletcher | 021 964 000 |
Hamilton | Robyn Marsters | 027 494 6800 |
Hamilton, anytime | Vicky Gibson | 027 254 9119 |
Leamington / Cambridge wide | Rudy Scheepens | 021 0550160 |