Swarming is just the natural way the honeybee colony reproduces itself, and in the spring there is an overwhelming urge to do so. As beekeepers, we try to manage this instinct, sometimes unsuccessfully. 
When this happens, the queen along with about half the colony’s population, takes wing and pours out of the colony’s entrance, forming a cloud of bees and leaving. The queen alights on some object, usually a tree branch, and her pheromones orient the swarm on the branch around her. This is a temporary staging situation and may last only a few hours. The swarm will be looking for a new cozy home, perhaps inside the wall of your house or barn.
During this time the bees are not aggressive. Having no honey stores or young brood to protect, they are very docile. For many people, the natural reaction is to want to exterminate the bees. But knowing how important bees are to the environment, especially for pollination, we encourage you to consider rescue and relocation as an alternative solution.
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