Burke County Beekeepers Association, Morganton, North Carolina

Swarms

Swarming is how honey bee colonies throw a housewarming party!🎉 It’s a natural event that happens in early spring and summer. Picture this: about half the bees in a colony, along with their queen, pack their bags and leave the hive in search of a new home. Once they leave, they form a buzzing cluster on a tree, bush, or even the side of a building until they find their dream home.
While swarming, these bees are usually pretty chill, but it’s best not to disturb their gathering. No water sprays or poking, please! You’ll only make them cranky.
Before you call in a beekeeper, make sure you’re dealing with a swarm of honeybees and not just a bunch of bees hanging out around a bush or tree. A true swarm will form a distinct, buzzing cluster. And if you spot yellow-jackets, hornets, or wasps instead, it’s time to look up a local exterminator.
If the swarm is out in the open and easy to reach, our "Bee Rescuers" will remove it for free! If the bees have cozied up inside a structure and need a bit more effort to reach, there might be a small charge.
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Our Bee Rescuers will safely relocate the swarm to their bee yard, giving them a cozy new hive to call home. Fun fact: most wild swarms don’t last more than a year, but with a beekeeper’s help, these bees have a much better chance of thriving!
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When you call a beekeeper, they might ask you a few questions to make sure they bring the right gear. Be ready to answer:
  • How long has the swarm been hanging out on your property?
  • Where’s the swarm chilling? On a tree branch, side of the house, or maybe a fence?
  • How high up is the swarm?
  • Can the beekeeper easily get to where the swarm is?
  • How big is the swarm? Think softball, soccer ball, or even bigger than a basketball?

Bee Rescuers

Got a honey bee swarm? No worries! Below is a list of friendly beekeepers ready to help you out. The list of beekeepers is sorted by location, so you can find one close to you. If you can’t reach one, feel free to call another!

🐝Note: The following list features beekeepers who do not offer cutout services. If you need a cutout, keep buzzing along! 🐝

​To help prevent spam, please replace () with @ when emailing a member.

Lake James & Oak Hill Area
  • Christy Truitt | (828) 443-7410 | christytruitt()gmail.com 

Valdese
  • Willie Pascal | (828) 448-1811 | wapascal()gmail.com 
  • Max Smart | (828) 381-4175 | eastburkehoneyfarm()yahoo.com | Does some cutouts | East Burke Honey Farm's Facebook | Services all of Eastern Burke County 
  • Megan Leach | (803) 417-2705 | meganhleach()gmail.com 

Morganton
  • Barbara Nagy | (404) 977-7878 | banagy00()gmail.com
  • Tony Braun | (828) 448-7198 | anthony_braun()charter.net 
  • Charles Wilson | (828) 390-1000 | cdwilson64()att.net
  • Alex Cummings | CarolinaWildHone()gmail.com | Facebook
  • John Waters | (828) 439-3211 | jwcarpet()live.com 
  • Zach Gellman | (828) 460-7595 | ghhoneybeerescue()gmail.com | Does all cutouts.​

Cutouts

Bee cutouts refer to the process of removing a bee colony from a structure, such as a wall, ceiling, or floor, where they have built their hive. This is typically done by professional beekeepers or pest control experts. The process involves carefully cutting into the structure to access the hive and then safely removing the bees and their comb. This method is often used when bees have established a hive in an inconvenient or unsafe location for humans.

Bee cutouts are different from simple bee removals, which might involve capturing a swarm that is out in the open. Cutouts require more skill and care to ensure that the bees are not harmed and that the structure is properly repaired afterward.

Burke County
Burke County Beekeepers Association, Morganton, North Carolina