Everything You Need To Know About Bee Swarming Season In Texas

It's bee swarming season in Texas, but don't be alarmed! It's actually a good thing. Here's what you need to know this season.

There have been reports of several bee swarms over the last couple of weeks, which is not uncommon. Swarming is the method that honey bees use to reproduce, and it usually occurs in the spring and early summer.

Gary Rankin, owner of the apiary The Bee Place, told KSAT, "Once a colony of bees reaches the maximum capacity of a current living space (think: filling the cavity of a hollow in a tree with honeycomb and bees) and there are ample resources available, such as plenty of food-producing blooms in the spring, the colony receives signals from this growth state that they are healthy enough to reproduce."

What should you do if you see a bee swarm?

You can call a local beekeeper to take a look. But, the swarm usually only stays in one spot for about 24 hours.

Home & Garden Information Center (HGIC) explains, "When honey bees are swarming, they are not nearly as defensive as they are around their hive because they are not protecting brood (developing young bees) or honey stores."

Even though the bees aren't as defensive when in a swarm, you should still leave them alone. HGIC said, "Do not spray the swarm with an insecticide or attempt to destroy it. This actually may agitate the bees and increase the likelihood of being stung."