Bees on My Property: Is It a Swarm or a Hive? Explained

You have found bees on your property. Before deciding what to do, it is important to figure out whether you are seeing a swarm or an established hive.

You can report a swarm (opens in a new tab) through Swarmed and get quick help from a local beekeeper.

Swarmed helps protect pollinators by making it easy for the public to alert beekeepers about bee swarms. With beekeepers across the United States reporting severe winter losses and with wild swarms surviving only about 25 percent of the time, fast action is essential.

How to Tell if It Is a Swarm

Signs of a swarm:

• A ball or clump of bees hanging from a tree, fence, mailbox, or other object
• Calm bees clustered together
• No comb or structure
• Temporary presence, usually hours to a day

Swarms are looking for a new home and are not defensive unless disturbed.

How to Tell if It Is a Hive

Signs of an established hive:

• Bees flying in and out of a fixed location like a wall, roof, or hollow tree
• Presence of wax comb, honey, or dripping sap
• Long-term activity

Hives are permanent homes and require more involved removal.

What to Do If It Is a Swarm

• Stay calm and maintain distance
• Report it through Swarmed (opens in a new tab)
• Wait for a beekeeper to relocate the bees safely

What to Do If It Is a Hive

• Do not attempt to remove it yourself
• Contact a professional beekeeper with experience in structural removals
• Avoid sealing openings until you are sure all bees are gone

Swarmed specializes in swarm reports but may be able to help you find the right contact for hives if you report the bee colony here (opens in a new tab).

Why This Matters

Reporting swarms quickly prevents them from moving into walls or roofs, where removal becomes more difficult and expensive. Swarms are vulnerable and have low survival rates without beekeeper help.

By reporting early, you help pollinators, your local community, and your own property.