MERIDIAN - When it comes to bees the first thought for a lot of us is that they're a nuisance, or even dangerous. But they're really important to the environment, so if you see a swarm it's vital that you take care of it properly.
"We have to have that pollination at just the right time so it's really important for us to keep healthy hives here at The Farmstead," said owner Jim Lowe.
Without them that pumpkin patch you're used to seeing at The Farmstead every fall wouldn't be there.
"If there are no bees here then you might have a healthy plant but it's going to have no pumpkins on it," Lowe said.
that's where Mark Davis with Treasure Valley Bee Rescue steps in. He's been removing and relocating bee swarms for years and he's especially busy this time of year.
"As soon as it starts warming up where it's above 60 degrees the hive will start creating a bunch of queen cells," said Davis.
Davis says around 17 days later, those eggs the queen laid in those cells will emerge as adult queens.
"Three days before it is supposed to emerge the old queen will take half the hive and she'll fly off to have a new home," Davis said. "A hive cluster that's hanging on a limb, within thirty seconds it's gone. They all just fly off in a solid dark cloud and then they go and start setting up shop."
They'll find a new home sometimes in places they aren't really welcome.
"They'll find a hole in the wall or in a tree and they'll walk every square inch of that," Davis said.
When it comes to getting rid of the bees, there's one thing you shouldn't do.
"You don't want to put any type of poisons down," said Davis. "Bees are harmless, they won't do any harm unless you're swatting at them or smashing them."
If the bees are honey bees, it's even more important to recover and relocate them because the population is declining all the time.
"When people see swarms, when they first start landing on a bush give a beekeeper a call," said Davis. "We don't have to open up a wall and cut a colony out once they've built a honeycomb."
Davis says overall, whether you know what type of bee is invading your space it's best to call a professional.