Collecting swarms

[will]

Got a call this morn from a lady saying she had a swarm of bees in a bush in her garden chest hight. It was about ten miles away She rang somebody and they wanted £80 for removing the swarm. I don't charge for removing if I get the bees but if they want to donate something that's up to them. Do any of you charge are am I being to soft.

 

[B+.]

Do any of you charge are am I being to soft.

No. If people feel that they wish to make a donation, I suggest either my local BKA or a charity

 

[Brian Bush]

The BBKA advises that swarm collection should be free but associations can ask for expenses. We at Mid Bucks do not charge or request a donation for expenses.
If donations are proffered I generally weigh up the caller, often it is the ones who can least afford it that insist on giving you something. It cost about £120 per year to run our swarm line and personally I have covered 300 miles since Sunday. I accepted a £10 donation yesterday. One of my collectors requests a donation for Bees for Development. I get given the odd bottle of wine which I put in the club raffle to increase some funds.
If called buy a business, i.e. a hotel or offices I generally ask for a donation towards funds bearing in mind that pest control will charge large sums and then often call me to collect a swarm
If you are relying on your BBKA membership for insurance then you should abide by their rules. The insurance indemnifies you against damage you may accidentally cause and the possibility the bees present a danger to a third party.

 

[snelgrove]

I personally wouldn't charge, we as beekeepers have a duty to help the public who are put in the inconvenient postion of having to deal with a stray swarm from some beekeeper who hasn't kept his bees, don't get me wrong we all lose swarms no one is perfect. Although some people will not admit to losing the odd swarm.
However if the swarm is in an easy place as you describe and within a decent travel then not charging is advisable, after all the extra bees is payment enough

 

[PaulCarroll]

I do not charge for swarms and this year I have collected two swarms from people's gardens though I am not on the associations list of swarm collectors. It seems from my conversations with both sets of people whom I have assisted that they had rung other people via the BBKA system that points you to your local association swarm collector, but on each occasion no response was received. I suggested this was probably due to the high volume of calls being received as this year does seem to have been busy in terms of swarms. I was also highly delighted when collecting a swarm on Monday evening to see the interest of the nearby children in what was happening and whilst we waited for stragglers to enter the box, to be able to educate people further, especially the young generation, about the importance of bees has to be worth the journey alone, not to mention the added bonus of free bees!!

 

[tonyofarr]

We do not charge for collecting swarms, and also refuse to get rid of bumble bees or hornets but try to educate people about these interesting insects.

 

[Vortex]

I don't charge nor do I request donations. If I'm offered one I will accept it (along with the odd bottle of wine).
If I can't deal with the swarm then I suggest the caller calls the next closest beekeeper, and should I miss a call (at work in a meeting etc) then I call them back.
As to the volume of calls this year .. its been very quiet .. almost too quiet..

 

[alldigging]

As to the volume of calls this year .. its been very quiet .. almost too quiet..

I've had three swarm calls - two about the same swarm, which moved to somewhere really inaccessible. The other was collected.

Two other swarm calls from beekeepers asking for advice about collecting their own swarms.

And about a million bumblebee calls.
First year on the swarm list so I have no idea how usual this is for round here.

Husband has built a bee vac and is keen to try it out!

 

[SixFooter]

I've had three swarm calls - two about the same swarm, which moved to somewhere really inaccessible. The other was collected.

Two other swarm calls from beekeepers asking for advice about collecting their own swarms.

And about a million bumblebee calls.
First year on the swarm list so I have no idea how usual this is for round here.

Husband has built a bee vac and is keen to try it out!

It definitely is normal here. What is annoying is that local authorities are telling people to call beekeeper and/or giving out the numbers of beekeepers. That would be great if it was for a swarm, but that's not the case in almost all cases. It seems as soon as they hear the word "bees" they just claim there is nothing they can do and pass on the call to a beekeeper. Usually, a beekeeper is not the appropriate person.
Particularly annoying is when people get annoyed with me when I say I cannot do anything. Almost always, they then tell me they have children, grand children, nephews and nieces etc and something has to be done!
Good luck with it, but you may find it to be a pain!

 

[Anduril]

It definitely is normal here. What is annoying is that local authorities are telling people to call beekeeper and/or giving out the numbers of beekeepers. That would be great if it was for a swarm, but that's not the case in almost all cases. It seems as soon as they hear the word "bees" they just claim there is nothing they can do and pass on the call to a beekeeper. Usually, a beekeeper is not the appropriate person.
Particularly annoying is when people get annoyed with me when I say I cannot do anything. Almost always, they then tell me they have children, grand children, nephews and nieces etc and something has to be done!
Good luck with it, but you may find it to be a pain!

I just point them in the direction of bumblebee conservation website.
But this is where SPRINGWATCH should educate people, one episode would be enough.

 

[Robbo8916]

I agree on the point that Springwatch should do an ep on bees, especially bumbles.

Had one such call today, he told me they were really small and brownish in colour. He was adamant they were honey bees. So i went down to look and of course (as I had suggested on the phone) they were tree bumbles, nest surveillance behaviour by drones, typical of the time of year.

Had a long chat for a good hour about them and their behaviour, nesting habits, when he should seal up the hole, and of course had a chat about honeys too, and the differences between the overwintering habits of the colonies/queens.

Got a glass of water and a lift home out of it though!

 

[BMH]

A lift home?

How did you get there?

You werent planning on taking a swarm of bees back on a bus where you?

 

[Robbo8916]

A lift home?

How did you get there?

You werent planning on taking a swarm of bees back on a bus where you?

Lol I walked it was only down the road, I knew they wouldn't be honey bees so wasn't much point lugging a load of stuff with me.

 

[BMH]

I am having visions of a prime swarm breaking loose on a bus! imagine the carnage.

I havent had so much of a sniff of a swarm collection this year (or any year for that matter).

Dont think there are many beekeepers around here although I caught a small prime swarm with a fat mated queen (which wasnt mine as they are all marked) in a bait hive yesterday which are busily drawing foundation.

 

[Robbo8916]

Would have made £250 from YBF if that happened though haha

 

[will]

I just point them in the direction of bumblebee conservation website.
But this is where SPRINGWATCH should educate people, one episode would be enough.

That is a good idea, just sent spring watch a message asking them if they could say something about bumbles there habitat and life span

 

[madasafish]

I charge a £20 callout fee.. payable whether I do anything or not.. Winnows out the idiots.

 

[alldigging]

I charge a £20 callout fee.. payable whether I do anything or not.. Winnows out the idiots.

I would be rich. But very tired.

As it is I am building up a great selection of bumblebee photos.

 

[Anduril]

Have I tempted fate. Bees on Springwatch. Send the public to friends of the earth app.

 

[alldigging]

Have I tempted fate. Bees on Springwatch. Send the public to friends of the earth app.

what does the app do?