Safe operations continue at Snohomish Substation during honeybee swarm relocation

Earlier this month, a honeybee swarm found a temporary home in a bush near BPA’s Snohomish Substation. When the bees had still not found a more permanent dwelling a couple days later, Chief Forester John Tyler moved quickly to protect both the native pollinators and the humans nearby.

Tyler discovered the swarm on May 12. A honeybee swarm is the result of the colony’s natural instincts to reproduce. The original queen leaves the colony with about half of the workforce, leaving the other half in the original location to raise a new queen. Beekeepers do their best to manage bees and prevent this, but it’s not always possible and swarms still happen. Once a swarm occurs, the bees are actively looking for a new home and typically leave withing a few hours to a couple days.

Becoming concerned that the swarm was having no luck finding a new home, Tyler reached out to BPA’s Transmission Environmental Compliance group for guidance on how best to proceed. He also cordoned off the area with traffic cones and flagging tape and put up water-resistant signs.

“I was concerned that someone might get stung, or the honeybees might be mistaken for wasps and sprayed with insecticide,” said Tyler.

Tyler connected with Nancy Wittpenn, environmental protection specialist, who provided contact information for the Snohomish-based Northwest District Beekeepers Association, a volunteer nonprofit of honeybee beekeepers where one of their services is offering swarm removal. “Our mission is to educate the public and beekeepers to successfully keep bees and what to do if someone sees a swarm,” said NWDBA President Courtney Sorensen. “We are happy the public and public organizations are helping save honeybees and our native pollinators; and happy our volunteer members collectively can provide this service. It helps both the beekeeper and honeybees.”

NWDBA arranged for swarm relocation expert Jay Fraser to come to BPA’s substation. Donning his protective beekeeper’s suit and gloves, Fraser carefully pruned some of the branches around the swarm so he could place a carboard box with nesting frames below. Gently shaking the branch that held the swarm, Fraser found the queen and placed her in the new hive. The rest of her colony dutifully followed.

With the bees safely contained in the new hive, Fraser was able to take them off-site for a new life in safer surroundings. Thanks to all involved in rehoming the honeybees, Snohomish Substation’s operations continued safely and undisturbed.