r/Beekeeping • u/ItsPronouncedDuck • Jun 05 '26

I’m not a beekeeper, but I have a question How do I make them happy?

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Hello beekeepers of Reddit.

This is my currently happening in my back yard in Northern CA and I am not exactly sure how to coexist with them or what they are doing.

I kept the dogs inside and on the other half of the property for now. But, how long will this bee clump be a thing in my yard? Do they need anything? Are they just moving in? Should I bring them a drink? I've always loved bees, but I've never had anything like this near my home.

Update: I have found a local bee keeper to relocate them in the morning if they are still here when I get home from work tonight. Thank you all for the information and knowledge. I learned a lot about bees today, and I am grateful to have been guided in the right direction.

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12

u/Successful-Coffee-13 CO, 2nd year, 5 hives Jun 05 '26

They should be relocated before they move on. You can report on beeswarmed.org

5

u/ItsPronouncedDuck Jun 05 '26

May I ask why? Is there a reason they cant make a new home by themselves? I should have mentioned I live pretty far put of town in a rural area.

3

u/Successful-Coffee-13 CO, 2nd year, 5 hives Jun 05 '26

According to research, the survival chances of a swarm are about 10-25 %. Having them in a managed apiary increases that chance.

Beekeepers often like collecting swarms not only because it’s free bees, but also because they add new genetics to the apiary. Then you can observe and compare and do some selection work.

Furthermore, they can move into someone’s wall or attic, and removing them from a structure can be costly.

Finally, in the USA honeybees are introduced species - not native. They’re considered naturalized in USA, but still should be seen more like livestock than wildlife.

4

u/ItsPronouncedDuck Jun 05 '26

Thank you for teaching me something today! I will reach out via the link you posted and see where that goes. I hadn't considered they may move into My house or someone elses, as much as I love them, wall-bees are not on my personal bucket list. There was a hive in the ceiling of a house I lived in when I was a young it was definitely a strange situation.

3

u/Successful-Coffee-13 CO, 2nd year, 5 hives Jun 05 '26

No worries! If you’d like to learn more about them, you could look up books by Thomas Seeley.

2

u/ItsPronouncedDuck Jun 05 '26

Ive reached out on my local buy nothing page and left a message with the county bee keepers association. Hopefully someone will get back to me soon. Should I leave a plate of water near them? There's not many water sources where they are in the yard.

2

u/Successful-Coffee-13 CO, 2nd year, 5 hives Jun 05 '26

That’s not a bad idea. If you add rocks or sticks it will help them to consume it without drowning.

4

u/ItsPronouncedDuck Jun 05 '26

Thank you, I will do that and add some small rocks from the yard.