BEELINE: Buzzing around with Sonoma County’s swarm savers
Every spring, thousands of bees outgrow their hives and move to seek new homes. This process, known as swarming, can be alarming to humans, especially when bees take up residence on one’s property.
Yet, many Californians now understand the pollinators’ environmental value and want to relocate—not kill—swarms that get too close for comfort.
Enter the Sonoma County Beekeepers Association. The nonprofit group boasts hundreds of members and operates a free swarm hotline to help move dozens of swarms to safe homes each year.
After receiving a report on May 1, 2024, experienced swarm catcher Roger Simpson shows up to help a Santa Rosa homeowner.
In this case, the call is also a teaching opportunity; apprentices Zach Bard and his son, Nicolas, join Simpson to assist and learn.
After Simpson shakes the swarm from a tree branch and moves the queen into a transport box.
Simpson and his apprentices’ work is done. The remaining bees crawl into the box, instinctively following their leader.
When dusk approaches and temperatures drop, beekeeper Aaron Jarvis will arrive to take them on the next step of their journey.
The next morning, Jarvis, a firefighter who has kept bees at his Cotati home for about six years, transfers the swarm into his own hive box.
Once the bees are secure, Jarvis takes off his protective gear and gets ready for his day job.
After a swarm is re-homed, beekeepers closely monitor the hive it to ensure its health. Beekeepers Rorie Sweeney (left) and Ann Jereb (right) suit up to check on a few hives at Jereb’s Santa Rosa home.
Checking a hive is usually not dangerous. However, beekeepers often prepare a smoker (left) in case they need to calm their bees.
Maintaining a hive’s health requires gathering data. Here, Jereb (left) inspects a frame of bees while Sweeney takes notes.
Beekeeping isn’t just about gathering honey. Like any good hobby, tending hives can be a social activity, offering an opportunity to build community around a shared interest.
