Instead of calling the pest controller, there is now a safer, more ecologically sound and (bee) friendly alternative. At GSLN, we’ve recently come across the SwarmPatrol website. A local apiarist will re-home the swarm at your bush care, land care or home address for free!
Its springtime, and the bees are swarming. Swarming during the warmer months allows the bee colony to migrate, finding essential flowering plants to make and store sufficient honey for the population to survive the cold, harsh winter months. Swarming is a sign of a healthy bee population, and is most common in colonies with large numbers of active worker bees and a actively laying queen.
Springtime bees at Trench Reserve, on the Nepean River, Penrith.
Yet many people are allergic to bees, and the fear of (stinging!) bees is enough to make the most dedicated of volunteers contact the pest controller – particularly if the swarm is near home, or the work site.
A pest controller would normally destroy the population. This isn’t the ideal outcome, as bee numbers are in rapid decline globally in part due to shifting climate regimes, the use of agrochemicals and fragmentation of habitat populations, particularly in western Sydney.
At GSLN, we’ve come across a much better alternative. SwarmPatrol is a free service that links apiarists with local communities. Simply list the location and provide contact details, and a registered beekeeper will come out to collect and re-home the swarm for you. A much better outcome for both you – and the bees!
Disclaimer: this news item is promoted and shared as a community service. GSLN is not affiliated with, or receives payment from SwarmPatrol.
Have a fantastic Landcare tip? Know of a wonderful service for bushcare volunteers? Contact us, and we can share to the wider Sydney bushcare and Landcare network!
