The Neighborhood Gardener:
What's All the Buzz About?
Spring is here, which means honey bee swarm season is also here. It's very important that everyone is aware of the state of Florida's recommendations for handling honey bee swarms and nesting colonies.
The state recommendation established by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Service’s (FDACS) Apiary Section is that all wild colonies or swarms located in close proximity to people or animals should be eradicated by a Pest Control Operator (PCO) trained in honey bee colony eradication and removal. Further, the state recommends that calls about nesting bees and swarms be forwarded only to trained PCOs, and not beekeepers.
How do you find a trained PCO? It’s simple, with the help of the UF African Honey Bee Extension & Education Program (AFBEE).
Resources
Thanks to Dr. Jamie Ellis and Catherine Nalen from the UF Honey Bee Research and Extension Lab for providing this information.
