Swarms of honey bees can look frightening, but honey bees are usually not aggressive at this stage of their life cycle. The swarming bees lack a hive to defend and they are more interested in finding a new nesting location for their queen.

Beekeepers are often called to capture swarms. There are various methods to capture a swarm.

Click this link for photos of beekeepers capturing swarms.

In the first few hours after a swarm arrives and forms a cluster, it is relatively easy to capture the swarm in a box. Some beekeepers use swarm traps with pheromone lures to attract swarms.

It is best to call a beekeeper as soon as possible. The longer a swarm remains at a location, the more difficult it is to remove the swarm.

Here is a list of experienced beekeepers who may be called to capture swarms in their local areas:

Wayne Kramer: Free honey bee swarm removal in Northern Kalamazoo, Southern Barry and Southern Allegan counties. Sorry - no bees removed from walls of buildings or trunks of trees.
Cell: 269-370-8595
Home: 269-383-8411
Work: 269-833-6785
Located in Richland, Michigan

Sheldon Schwitek: Free honey bee swarm removal in Allegan, Van Buren, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph Counties. Also honey bee cut-outs and removal of honey bees from buildings for a fee.
Cell Phone: 269-330-2305, the best way to reach me!
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web Site: http://blog.beesnug.com/
Located in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Ken Hoekstra at J&K Apiaries: Free honey bee swarm removal in Kent and Allegan Counties. Honey for sale.
Cell Phone: 269-217-6401
Home Phone: 269-793-4611
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located at Hopkins, Michigan - just south of Wayland

Dave Van Antwerp: Free honey bee swarm removal for Allegan County.
Cell Phone: 616-293-2600
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located between Allegan and Martin 

Mel Church: Free honey bee swarm removal in the Kalamazoo - Battle Creek area.
Cell Phone: 269-207-5752
Home Phone 269-382-6831
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Kalamazoo (East Side)

Jim Smothers: Free honey bee swarm removal for Van Buren, Allegan,  Berrien, and Ottawa counties
Home phone (269) 639-7462
Cell phone (269)767-2916
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in South Haven, Michigan

Charlotte Hubbard: Free honey bee swarm removal in Kalamazoo and St. Joseph Counties. Also removal of honey bees from hollow trees and buildings for a fee.
Cell Phone: 269-718-7317
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Schoolcraft, Michigan

Jeremy Marr: Free honey bee swarm removal in Kalamazoo County.
Web Site: Tanglewood Hollow
Cell Phone: 269-340-0233 (269-3400-BEE)
Home Phone: 269-978-0899
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (email gets forwarded to cell, so please include your phone number in 1st sentence of your message)

Tim Rookus: Free honey bee swarm removal in Allegan and Southern Kent Counties.
Cell Phone: 616-340-5694
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located at Wayland, Michigan.

Don Johnson: Free honey bee swarm removal in Calhoun and Branch Counties.
Cell Phone: 269-601-0143 
Work Phone: 269-961-7206
Home Phone: 269-589-6962
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Located in Battle Creek, Michigan 

John Bronson: Free honey bee swarm removal in Kalamazoo and Van Buren Counties.
Phone: 269-375-9447
Located west of Kalamazoo near the Van Buren County line.

Jack Tomanica: Free honey bee swarm removal in Muskegon, Ottawa and Kent Counties.
Phone: 231-853-6371
Located at Nunica, Michigan

Mark Coleman: Free honey bee swarm removal in the Grand Rapids area.
Cell phone 616-856-0341
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Robert Johnson: Free honey bee swarm removal in Ionia County. Also honey bee cut-outs and removal of hives from buildings.
Cell Phone: 616-841-1083, the best way to reach me!
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Clarksville, Michigan

William Waltz: Free honey bee swarm removal for Lansing, Grand Ledge, Dimondale and Potterville.
Phone: 517-515-0102
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located right in the center of that area.

Steven Mussell: Free removal of outdoor honey bee swarms, and for a fee, removal of established honey bee colonies from homes, outbuildings, and trees, in Ingham, Eaton, Jackson and Livingston counties.
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,
Phone 517-648-6748 or 517-589-5411.

Jordan Mowbray: Free honey bee swarm removal in Arenac County and northern Bay County
Phone: 989-846-1120
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web Site: www.mowbrayhoneyfarm.com

Mazin Malallah: Free honey bee swarm removal in Wayne County
Phone: 313-999-3180
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Huron Township

Michael Sautter: Free honey bee swarm removal in Southeast Michigan. Will do free estimates for removal of honey bee colonies,
wasps and hornets from structures.
Cell Phone: (313) 220-7729
Home Phone (313) 383-4595
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Allen Park, Michigan

Tim Byers: Free honey bee swarm removal from Detroit to Flint and all of Thumb area. Honey bee cut-outs and removal of hives from buildings.
Phone: 810-434-5484
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located at Melvin, Michigan

Richard Mendel: Free honey bee swarm removal in Washtenaw County. Will consult on removal of honey bee colonies in trees and structures. Member of Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers.
Cell Phone: 734-660-8621
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Brandon Cooper:  Free honey bee swarm removal in Gratiot, Isabella, Montcalm, Clinton, and Ingham. We do not remove bees from structures.
Brandon Cooper: 989-388-7782
Kelly Cooper: 989-763-9856
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Carl Albright: Free honey bee swarm removal in Branch, Hillsdale, and Lenawee Counties.
Phone: 517 398-9010
Located in Jonesville, Michigan

If you don't find a beekeeper on this list who serves your area, please call your Michigan Beekeepers Association District Representative who will help you locate a local beekeeper. Click the link for a list.