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SWARMS

HAVE A SWARM? DON'T WASTE TIME! DONT EMAIL US, CALL!
To Request a Swarm Removal - Text or call Mary Dempsey: 253-640-1615

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  THINK YOU HAVE A HONEY BEE SWARM?

  • Honey bee swarms are usually not aggressive. If you find a swarm of honeybees on or near your property, don’t worry!

  • Bees are valuable! Please don’t use insecticide, spray with water or call an exterminator.

  • Check out our resources below. Local beekeepers are usually happy to help you remove the swarm.

  • Honey Bees or Yellow Jackets? Sometimes yellow jackets and nests are confused for Honey Bee swarms. Taking a picture and sending it to the number below will help us quickly tell you if you have a swarm or a wasp problem. Setting out wasp traps in early March to catch the wasp queens will help solve problems at your August BBQ or relaxing in the backyard.

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To Request a Swarm Removal 
Contact Mary Dempsey: 253-640-1615

Please so not email requests for swarm removal.

For your protection and ours we will not be able to send a beekeeper to remove a swarm without the signed waiver form below. 

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Because we are invested in the care of honey bees, we provide uncomplicated swarm removals free of charge. If you would like to help us continue to provide this service, there is a suggested donation of $50 that can be made through our online portal.

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WHAT DOES A HONEY BEE SWARM LOOK LIKE?

Honey bees swarms can land on a variety of objects and be located at varying heights. Clusters can be down low on a bush, spread across a fence, or high up on a tree limb. They will not have a built nest surrounding them, but rather a cluster of bees hanging from a limb, branch, fence or other object.

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NOT SURE THAT IT’S A HONEY BEE SWARM?

Honeybee swarms are easy to identify. For one, there won’t be a hive of any type, just a large mass of bees clinging to an object. Also, a honeybee is different from a wasp and yellow jacket. Honeybees are fuzzy and wasps and yellow  jackets are not as identified by the pictures here:

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ARE SWARMS DANGEROUS?

Honey bee swarms are not dangerous, but unless you are an experienced beekeeper, please do not attempt to disturb/displace the swarm. These bees are simply in the process of finding a new home and the beekeeper that that comes will give them just that, a nice hive in a proper location!

Please do not spray the bees with pesticides, insecticides or water. Wait for a beekeeper to come and take them away. These are typically gentle insects that are a huge benefit to the plants we have in our gardens and to the foods we eat. The only time you’ll encounter an angry bee (or other insect/animal for that matter) is if you disturb it. In fact, if you have a swarm, consider yourself lucky to be experiencing this marvel of nature!

Because we are invested in the care of honey bees, we provide uncomplicated (bees not in walls, attics, under decks, etc.) swarm removals free of charge as a community service. If you would like to help us continue to provide this service, there is a suggested donation of $50 that can be made through our online portal.

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Join our Response Team

To join the Swarm team, you must be a member of PCBA. 

Please click on the link below and completely fill out the form.

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Please fill out and submit the form below for swarm removal.
Thanks

Pierce County Beekeepers Release of Liability Form - Swarms


The services provided by Volunteers with Pierce County Beekeepers Association for honey bee swarm removal are conducted with the utmost care for both the bees and the property involved. However, by engaging our services, you acknowledge and agree to the following:

1. Assumption of Risk – Swarm removal carries inherent risks, including but not limited to bee stings, property damage, or complications arising from relocation. Pierce County Beekeepers Association and the volunteer beekeepers are not liable for any injuries or damages that may occur during or after the removal process.

2. No Guarantees – While we strive to safely relocate swarms, we cannot guarantee that all bees will be successfully removed or prevented from returning. Environmental and structural factors may contribute to recurring swarms.

3. Property Damage – Swarm removal may require minimal structural adjustments. Pierce County Beekeepers Association and the volunteer beekeepers are not responsible for any necessary repairs or damages incurred as a result of the removal process.

4. Compliance with Laws – Our services adhere to state and federal regulations regarding bee conservation and relocation. Clients are responsible for ensuring their compliance with local ordinances related to bee removal on their property.

  1. Pierce County Beekeepers Association is a 501c3 non profit charity organization and 100% volunteer run.

 I HEREBY ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS OF Swarm Capture, including by way of example and not limitation, any risks that may arise from negligence or carelessness, any alleged damage by both the property owner and by the beekeeper catching the swarm of bees, and all other potential damages.  Pierce County Beekeepers Association has informed me of the inherent risks and I hereby proceed fully advised of the potential harm. 

  1. In consideration of , I hereby take action for myself, my executors, administrators, heirs, next of kin, successors, and assigns as follows: 

  2. INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND PROMISE NOT TO SUE the entities or persons mentioned in this paragraph from any and all liabilities or claims made as a result of Beekeeping, Swarm Capturing, and other actions related, whether caused by the negligence of release or otherwise. 

  3. I HEREBY WAIVE, RELEASE, DISCHARGE and ASSUME ALL OF THE RISKS of Swarm Capture, from any and all liability, including but not limited to, liability arising from the negligence, or carelessness, any alleged damage, and all other potential damages by both the property owner and by the beekeeper, or fault of the entities or persons released, for my death, disability, personal injury, property damage, property theft, or actions of any kind which may hereafter occur to me regarding THE FOLLOWING ENTITIES OR PERSONS: Property Owner, Attending Beekeeper and Pierce County Beekeepers Association.

  4. The Waiver and Release of Liability Form shall be construed broadly to provide a release and waiver to the maximum extent permissible under applicable law. 

  5. I CERTIFY THAT I HAVE READ THIS DOCUMENT AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND ITS CONTENT. I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY AND A CONTRACT AND I SIGN IT OF MY OWN FREE WILL.


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