Found a swarm? Give us a call and we'll come collect them free of charge.* Swarms are clusters of honeybees looking for a new home — they're rarely dangerous and should be left alone or collected by a beekeeper.
Please don't spray or otherwise disturb them — call us first.
Is It Really a Swarm?
A honeybee swarm is a cluster of thousands of bees, usually about the size of a football or basketball, that has temporarily landed on a tree branch, fence, mailbox, or wall. The bees are looking for a permanent home and have stopped to rest while scout bees search for a suitable cavity.
Swarms are typically the most docile state honeybees ever enter. They've gorged themselves on honey before leaving the old hive, they have no babies or food stores to defend, and they're focused on finding a new home — not on you.
What it probably is:
- · A tight, mostly round cluster of bees
- · Hanging from a branch, post, or fence
- · Mostly quiet, with bees flying calmly around it
- · Has appeared within the last day or two
What it probably isn't:
- · Bees flying in and out of a hole in a wall, soffit, or tree (that's a colony — see removals)
- · Yellow-jackets, hornets, or bald-faced hornets (different shape, different behavior)
- · A small group of bees on a flower (just foraging)
Not sure? Send us a photo — we can usually identify it instantly.
What Swarms Look Like
A few we've collected around Central PA:
What to Do While You Wait For Us
- Call or text us with a photo and the location. A photo helps us identify the species and bring the right gear.
- Keep pets and kids back about 10–15 feet. Swarms are calm, but bees still defend themselves if pressed against.
- Don't spray it — not water, not soap, not insecticide. Spraying agitates the bees, often hurts the queen, and can turn a peaceful cluster into a defensive one.
- Don't try to capture it yourself unless you're a beekeeper. Without the right equipment you'll likely lose the queen and the colony will scatter.
- Note any movement. If the swarm starts to break up while you watch, let us know — they may be heading to a chosen cavity.
Why Is It Free?
Honeybees are pollinators we genuinely can't afford to lose, and a recovered swarm is a thriving colony for our apiary. We're not doing you a favor — you're doing us one. Every accessible swarm we collect goes home with us, gets a new hive, and keeps doing what bees are meant to do.
Genuinely tricky locations — swarms inside walls, on tall poles, deep in chimneys, or far up a tree — may need extra equipment and could carry a fee. We'll always tell you upfront before starting any paid work.
Where We Collect Swarms
We collect swarms across Central Pennsylvania:
Hummelstown
Our home base
Hershey
Just minutes away
Harrisburg
City & metro
Mechanicsburg
West Shore
Palmyra
Just east of Hummelstown
Middletown
Southern Dauphin County
Elizabethtown
Western Lancaster County
Linglestown
Lower Paxton
Colonial Park
Lower Paxton
York
York & York County
Lancaster
Lancaster & County
Also covering Camp Hill, Steelton, Lebanon, and Grantville. Outside this area? Call us — we'll either come or refer you to a trusted local beekeeper.
*Swarms that have entered a structure or that require ladders, lifts, or other special equipment may carry a charge. We'll discuss this with you upfront before any work begins.