How much do you charge to collect a swarm?

[Poly Hive]

Lovely attitude tylan but having driven umteen miles to find the swarm has gone, I now ensure I at least cover my costs.

Seen the price of fuel lately?

PH

 

[PaleoPerson]

I have just been reading the replies to this question is there a different kind of beekeeper today I find the beekeepers of today very mercenary money comes first in everything. I kept bees for 50yrs sold up 10yrs ago worst thing I ever did, just started up again. We would never have thought of charging to collect a swarm or would I now we loved our craft and if we keep bees I think we owe it to the public to come to their rescue if they are invaded with a swarm it can be very frightening if you are not used to them especially if there are children around it was always and is pleasure and the swarm was a bonus and come on a jar of honey never hurt anyone!

Collected a swarm from a public park next to a school after kids had already knocked it out of a tree.

Better to remove the problem for nothing than have the possibility of a guilty conscience.

They also turned out to be lovely bees - bonus!

 

[Rosti]

I have just been reading the replies to this question is there a different kind of beekeeper today I find the beekeepers of today very mercenary money comes first in everything. I kept bees for 50yrs sold up 10yrs ago worst thing I ever did, just started up again. We would never have thought of charging to collect a swarm or would I now we loved our craft and if we keep bees I think we owe it to the public to come to their rescue if they are invaded with a swarm it can be very frightening if you are not used to them especially if there are children around it was always and is pleasure and the swarm was a bonus and come on a jar of honey never hurt anyone!

Taylan, I know that PH has responded but I do feel that I want to as well. There must be a reality check here. I dont think anyone here is 'charging' to collect a swarm. A few points for you to reflect on.

1. We do end up providing a free removal service and most people who request help don't really care what happens to the bees so longs it happens somewhere well away from their house.
2. The number of false alarms has the potential to be high, wasps etc
3. The potential for a knowledgeable but mercenary member of the public to use a beek knowing that will save them a pest contractor fee is finite not speculative!
4. Fuel costs are now significant and much as I like bees I would rather spend my cash on my families quality of life rather than that of strangers!
5. I am an active beekeeper not an activist beekeeper, I'll do what I can, but I know I cant save bees or the planet on my own. I think I'm doing my small part however.
6. In summary charging for fuel seems entirely reasonable, as does limiting your catchment area so that you dont waste too much of your precious spare time catching red herrings rather than rescuing viable bee colonies.
   

I am glad you've started up again, you already had 10 times my experience when you stopped after part one! but, perhaps there is a flame of revival that is influencing your thinking here? Just my thoughts of course. R

 

[hedgerow pete]

YOU ARE ALL BARKING MAD, AS MAD AS A BOX OF FROGS come to think of it

how come you lot always pop out to friendly people, drink tea have chats, collect the swarm thats only 5 foot off the ground, blah ,blah,blah.

what dribble, what complete and utter dribble

swarm collecting is answering every phone call the girl at the council office you signed up with has given your name out to. she or he thats know nothing will happily hand your number out to everyone, because i you do it it wont cost the council any thing. if its not wasps then it is NOT A COUNCIL PROBLEM, so every thing that flys is a bee not a wasp.

all flying things are honey bees,

and you must attend because you work for the council

council workers dont charge, i am going to call the police

if your a council worker where your bagde/uniform/van

whats a bubble bee?

whats cottoneaster?

what bush in flower?

it was not flowering this morning when they turned up?

well they were here this morning, you must of frightened them away, so no i wont pay your £30

WASPS REALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO SURELY NOT THEY LOOK LIKE HONEY BEES TO ME

yes the massive swarm of evil killer, rip your head off pour honey down the hole bees are in the bathroom, we had to duct tape the door to keep the evil monsters in, i collected the three bubble bees and left

twice i have had dogs set onto me after explaining several dozen times on the phone i charge, and have collected the bees from a tree/imposible position, "now about my money" get out or i will set the dogs onto you, on both occasions the swarm and nuc box was thrown back over the garden fence

yes love i only collect honey bees not cats!!!!!!!!!!!

not i dont get cats out of trees!!!!!!!!!!!

bees in trees, yes i will come and have a look but i will charge ( me thinking 10 or 12 foot up) the hole was nearer 40 foot up, why do you want to remeove them as they are doing no harm to you, Ans." i have been told they will attack the children and kill them"

bees inside houses, bees inside wall cavities, what do you meen you need to remove the side of the house/wall/loft/plaster/ceiling/floor etc cant you just stick one of your boxs outside and wait for them to go to it so they leave.

yes you can collect the swarm in the back garden it must be worth £10/£25/£50 to you at least<<<< is that the £30 you were on about to my wife on the phone.

but dont bubble bees collect honey too?

and after all that agrovation, all you are going to end up with is someone elses cast off, some thing which by its very nature is swarmy, carring any form of trouble, infection, desease, anger. which you then all gleefully carry home thinking how wonderfull life is.

yes i do collect the odd swarm, three last year and each time the person on the other end had to answer a set list of questions and pay £30. and all three swarms never went any where near the bee shed, or out apairy, and went directly to new beeks and welcome they are to them

i thought bee keepers were supposed to breed queens and new stock, forever trying to improve the bees and them selves rather than going around collected dross

and calm and breath and relax. its good to rant, i have not had one for ages apart from that little lot enjoy your swarm collecting

 

[Rosti]

Good morning Mr Hedgerow, how are we today? Please come in to the green tranquil room now, the special 'head' doctor is ready for your morning session!

" Ah, Peter,Peter, how are we today? I understand that you are still having nasty nightmares where you think you are a council worker and are being chased by humans in wasp costumes who want you to re-home them, lets talk about that ...."



Edited addition: I think I might re-train, I could be good at this, I already have an excellent hive-side manner, I bet a good bedside manner can't be that different ....

"So Peter, these special "videos" of yours and your unhealthy pre-occupation with power tools, lets see if we can't work our way through that as well this morning, I'd like to take you back to your childhood ......."

 

[mbc]

LOL..
I've had the catoneaster one several times myself.
Always threaten to charge ,,,it separates the wheat from the chaff

 

[milkermel]

lma HP we have numerous callers like this if it flys and has yellow then it is a wasp, Oh and dont forget it must be in that hedge because they are all over it! How many times has my hubby told somone over the phone after finding out there are lots of wasps on a salix that there isnt a nest there, they are just feeding! Then we do inform them there will be a call out if there is no wasp nest!

Anyway back to the swarm thing. I totally appreciate that there is a cost to collecting a swarm It is the same with any job. However what I find concerning is the fact that so many beeks want to charge large figures for something that if looked after should make an income. Yes call out of £10 to cover your fuel, BUT come on that is about all it will cost unless you are driving a landrover 110 and doing 60 mile round trip!

We know of part time (or shonky) pest controllers who work cash in hand and will happily kill a wasp nest for £15 with a can of nasty. So if as beeks we are going to charge someone more than £15 to remove a swarm, with the present economic situation, what is the average jo blogs going to do? pay out £50 or £15 lets be realistic all they want is for it to be gone, most people would feel bad but still have it destroyed.

OH wont kill a colony, if it is in a chimney and causing a health issue ie someone in house reacts to stings then that may be different, however dont be nieve, there are lots of pesties out there that will have no qualms about killing a colony if they are being paid.

I think probably what is needed is a set questionaire worked out before the start of the season. so that when the phone rings you listen to them then once they have done their bit you ignore it and just ask what you really need to know. Where is it, how long has it been there, what size is it but give them suggestions to compare, ie is it tennis ball grapefruit football size. Most importantly is can you see it!!! sounds silly but I had my first swarm call and dashed out to get it - 15 miles away only to get there and find that it was a load of bees feeding on escalonea bush! What a twit But it was an important leason to learn.

 

[RoofTops]

I take the 'phone off the hook between March and August.

 

[Rosti]

I take the 'phone off the hook between March and August.

You don't want to do that! A vacant hook is a very tempting place for wasps to start a new colony

 

[hedgerow pete]

rosti you have missed you calling, i loved your reply
milkermel some of the others should cut and paste from this starting questions below and can anyone add to it so the new collecters, barking mad as they are do not as much agro as i have had over they years

how many bees can you see?
( a few , normaly bumble, lots on a bush, feeding, thousands or a massive football sized colletion is a swarm)

where are you? i have had people ask me to travel well over 80 miles before now.

are they BIG black and yellow stripy hairy things? again bumbles

are they wasps or bees? i dont like wasps!!
or hornets

where are they?, bush, tree, chimney,fence, shed etc

most important this one, HOW HIGH UP ARE THEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YES YOU CAN COLLECT BEES FROM TREES AND CHIMNEYS , I KNOW I HAVE DONE IT, BUT IS IT WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE FOR?

how long have they been there? some times they fly off if it has only just swarmed to there new house

can i get to it safely ?, i was once told there was a swarm to collect off a tree branch that was only 5 foot off the ground, only to get there to find it was also 10 foot over a river!

NEVER EVER BELIVE ANYONE ON THE PHONE AS THEY WILL SAY ANY THING JUST TO GET YOU THERE TO REMOVE IT, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE.

dont forget to say , i do charge XXX amount for traveling costs9 i always used to charge £25 if it was a straight easy job,little old ladies a fiver or a tenner some times, but never more than that.

so there are loads more questions that can be asked so to everyone one else please feel free to cut and paste and add to mine.

 

[hedgerow pete]

forgot to add to the list if you have had the call durring the day and have said you are going to deal with them tonight when you have finished work, make sure you call before leaving to go to them to make sure they are still there

 

[Skyhook]

YOU ARE ALL BARKING MAD, AS MAD AS A BOX OF FROGS come to think of it...................................


and calm and breath and relax. its good to rant, i have not had one for ages apart from that little lot enjoy your swarm collecting

while of course realising the seriousness of the subject

 

[Teebeeaitch]

.....and all three swarms never went any where near the bee shed, or out apairy, and went directly to new beeks and welcome they are to them.

Perhaps this is where it goes wrong. Instead of trying to recover costs from the punters, why not charge the new beeks for delivering to their door, a perfectly good swarm. Far easier to get the money from them... no money, no bees.

i thought bee keepers were supposed to breed queens and new stock, forever trying to improve the bees and them selves rather than going around collected dross.

Hmmm ... I remain unconvinced that in the long term, selection of the queen by the beek is better than that of the bee.

 

[Skyhook]

Hmmm ... I remain unconvinced that in the long term, selection of the queen by the beek is better than that of the bee.

Assuming of course, that you're selecting for the same things.

 

[susbees]

where are you? i have had people ask me to travel well over 80 miles before now.

Is that all...150+ miles last year....having a surname that's a place name 150 miles away has its problems it seems!

 

[Stephen H.]

Thirty pounds is what the association charges ,but I did have some one last year tell me that he knew the saying about what bees were worth silver spoons and the rest,he was insisting I paid him. I told him well then have the B***ers back and shook them all out of the swarm box,they were not happy,but the look on his face was worth it.I had hardly walked in the door when he was on the phone needless to say I told him to contact a pest control company.

 

[John Ashby]

I guess the difference today is higher living costs, VAT at 20% and fuel at £6 per gallon

Its ok to do it for nothing, but not at a loss

I have just been reading the replies to this question is there a different kind of beekeeper today I find the beekeepers of today very mercenary money comes first in everything. I kept bees for 50yrs sold up 10yrs ago worst thing I ever did, just started up again. We would never have thought of charging to collect a swarm or would I now we loved our craft and if we keep bees I think we owe it to the public to come to their rescue if they are invaded with a swarm it can be very frightening if you are not used to them especially if there are children around it was always and is pleasure and the swarm was a bonus and come on a jar of honey never hurt anyone!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

The simple thing to save you lot moaning and groaning about swarm catching is NOT to put your names down for swarm catching!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Last year I paid to collect two swarms! Next door. Same bush. Cost was a few jars of honey.

Really? Swarms belong to whoever "captures" them.

I have also "paid" for a swarm...its called been Neighbourly.

 

[susbees]

The simple thing to save you lot moaning and groaning about swarm catching is NOT to put your names down for swarm catching!

Well said