Evening Swarm Collection in Southport 🐝
World Bee Day felt like the perfect time to share a recent swarm collection here in Southport.
On Monday evening, I was called out to safely collect a swarm of honey bees after they had settled nearby. I arrived around 9pm, and with the light fading fast and rain on the way, it quickly turned into a race against time to locate them and get them safely moved.
Thankfully, I managed to track the swarm down shortly after arriving and carefully collect them before the weather turned. By around 10:30pm, the bees were safely settled into their new hive in our apiary here at Sunnyside Guest House.
Although a swarm can sometimes look alarming, honey bees are usually very calm during this stage as they search for a new home. Swarming is a completely natural process and an important part of how bee colonies reproduce.
Rather than letting the swarm move on and potentially settle somewhere unsuitable, safely collecting and rehousing them helps protect the colony and supports our local bee population. It also means these bees now have a safe environment where they can continue to thrive.
At Sunnyside Guest House, we only use local bees within our apiary. Using local swarms helps reduce the risk of introducing diseases and pests that can sometimes spread through imported colonies or bees brought in from further afield. Local bees are also naturally adapted to our climate and environment here in Southport, which helps create stronger and healthier colonies over time.
We’re especially pleased that this new colony will now become part of our growing apiary at Sunnyside Guest House. In time, the bees will be producing their own local honey, which we hope our guests will be able to enjoy at breakfast — something truly local, made by bees right here in Southport.
If you ever spot a swarm in Southport or the surrounding area, please don’t panic or spray them. We will try our best to come out and collect honey bees free of charge where it is safe to do so. Please call 01704 536521 for a swarm collection in Southport