A swarm is seen when bees are looking for a new place to call home. While a swarm can look overwhelming, with thousands of bees congregating in one place, these bees are relatively harmless and will have stopped to rest or investigate a new area. If the place where they have stopped is a tree on your property that could cause a problem, for example, if it is right near your house or in an area that’s likely to be frequently used, then it’s best to move them on quickly before they decide this is the place they’d like to stay for years to come. 

Once the bees have decided to settle in a tree, they will work quickly to construct their new hive. The longer this is there, the more difficult it will be to remove them. You will be able to tell whether you’re faced with a hive or a swarm of bees by their activity. In a colony, you’ll see more activity and worker bees will be going to and from the nest.