Taming a wild swarm - Ask Extension
It appears I have a very, very large wild swarm on my property line (I just moved here a week ago) and was interested in beekeeping, but am not set up...
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Taming a wild swarm #934227
Asked June 04, 2026, 4:51 PM EDT
It appears I have a very, very large wild swarm on my property line (I just moved here a week ago) and was interested in beekeeping, but am not set up yet, but concerned with the sheer volume of bees, that we may need to capture these asap.
Is there someone in the Roseburg area that you can share my info with? The Oregon Bee project Wild Swarm list was down so no assistance there.
Thank you,
Amber
Douglas County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Amber,
If the swarm is still there, you can fill out the contact form on the Oregon State Beekeepers Association's website, "report a swarm". Also the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association, could also be a resource.
The bees will move on to a new nest site, your property is merely a temporary stop while they regroup, and send out scouts to find a suitable nest site. Once the majority of the bees accept the new site, then the bees will depart and leave the temporary location. So conceivably you can just let the natural process happen. A large swarm of bees has a better chance of surviving winter as they will be starting the new nest with lots of workers.
If the swarm is still there, you can fill out the contact form on the Oregon State Beekeepers Association's website, "report a swarm". Also the Southern Oregon Beekeepers Association, could also be a resource.
The bees will move on to a new nest site, your property is merely a temporary stop while they regroup, and send out scouts to find a suitable nest site. Once the majority of the bees accept the new site, then the bees will depart and leave the temporary location. So conceivably you can just let the natural process happen. A large swarm of bees has a better chance of surviving winter as they will be starting the new nest with lots of workers.
