Swarming is a natural part of honeybee life and a means of establishing a new colony. While swarms usually contain several thousand bees and are an impressive sight, they will not become aggressive if left alone. Keep people away from the bees.

A honeybee swarm frequently settles temporarily on a tree limb, bush, or other convenient site as the bees relocate to a better nesting site. Bees will not remain in the open for very long and will leave as soon as a suitable home is found. As the swarm "hangs out," scout bees search for a tree cavity or enclosed space. Once a suitable home is found, the bees will move to it. Bees that swarm in the morning are usually gone by late afternoon. Occasionally, they may spend the night and leave the next day.

Local beekeepers may come to capture a swarm if it is in an accessible location, but usually they are not interested in bees that swarm after June.

Bee swarms can be problematic if they move into wall voids or attic areas. Removing them is a job for a pest control operator.