A Swarm Lands in our Yard!

by D. Taylor
(Maricopa, Arizona)

Friday when looking at my front yard I noticed a very large swarm of bees! I was completely shocked. My neighbors were upset and asked that I call pest control.

I had a bad feeling about killing them and decided to study through the night and figure out a better course to take. I was able to contact a bee keeper in Tucson who I found the name of through the “bees-on-the-net” website. This bee keeper was very encouraging and helped me to decide to keep the bees.

Now time was critical so in one day of studying, I got the materials, built a bee hive, filled it with frames and was able to get the bees and place them in the hive.

Due to the encouragement of this site (along with the videos) and the very friendly bee keepers I talked to as I studied this, I am now a bee keeper too and this colony is thriving in our backyard. Without the support of the local bee keepers and them lending me the bee suit I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this.

Attached are 2 files, 1 is a picture of the untouched swarm as it rests on the tree about 6’ in the air. You can see my hand in the lower right for a sense of scale. The second is a video of me as I grabbed them and moved them into the hive. I am sure I didn’t do it properly but remember I was scared and had never done anything like this before, with no bee handling experience.


Perhaps others will be motivated to keep their bees when seeing and a newbie has been able to do just that.

February, 2011
D. Taylor, Maricopa Arizona

Dale that is great!

I'm so pleased you were able to find enough information quickly enough to do this. And a big thank you to the local beekeeper who encouraged you.

Great photo, it looks like quite a large swarm. Thanks for the video. Collecting your first swarm can be a nerve wracking process, especially when you have an audience who are offering advice.

I'm not sure whether the branch they were hanging from was thin enough, but if it's possible you can often shake the branch vigorously to make the swarm drop into a box. If it's not possible to get the hive box underneath the swarm I sometime use a cardboard box to catch them as they fall. A bee brush is very useful in these circumstances if it's not possible to shaken them.

I can still remember the first time I collected a swarm when people were watching and asking things like, "How long have you been doing this?" I don't feel nervous any more, but even after more than 20 years it is exciting and fascinating.

Welcome to the amazing world of beekeeping!

The Bee Guy