Swarming season is early for honeybees in Greater Victoria thanks to a mild winter, and that comes with good and bad repercussions.

Beekeeper Bill Cavers had his first call in mid-April, a couple weeks ahead of the usual start to swarm season.

Normally, bees go dormant mid-November, but that didn鈥檛 happen this winter, the president of the Capital Region Beekeepers Association explained. It鈥檚 really starting to pick up now, with the group鈥檚 swarm hotline receiving six-to-eight calls a week.

鈥淭his year many members had evidence bees were continuing to reproduce and be active right though December and into the cold spell,鈥� said Cavers.

Unfortunately, beekeepers rely on a 鈥渂rood break鈥� to treat the hives for mites without harming the other inhabitants.

鈥淲e had less opportunity to kill the mites because (the bees) were active and reproducing,鈥� Cavers continued.

Mites are a parasitic infestation and have spread across North America over the last decade or so. A mite will latch on to a bee and be carried around. When two bees are alight near each other, it can migrate to another and infect another hive. They climb into larvae cell and chew away at the bee鈥檚 liver. Mites can also bring other diseases with them.

On the positive side, an early swarm season signals healthy honeybee populations, and a good honey season.

A swarm is a hive鈥檚 natural way of reproducing.

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鈥淲hen the hive becomes crowded, half the bees will leave with the queen and they鈥檒l leave behind some queen pupae,鈥� said Cavers. 鈥淪o you get a swarm leaving to start a colony somewhere else and the colony that鈥檚 left will produce a queen.鈥�

Honeybees in swarms are usually docile, but can be a hassle.

鈥淲hen the swarm lands on your car or when it lands on the goal post of a soccer game or football game, it鈥檚 not so convenient,鈥� Cavers said.

He has personally picked up picked swarms off front doors, garden fence posts, and other inconvenient areas of private and public land.

VicPD responded to a swarm Wednesday (May 22) near the busy intersection of Blanshard and Fisgard streets, after several people called 911. Police in turn, called in a beekeeper, Chief Del Manak reported on social media later that day.

Residents can call on the experts when they find a swarm; a dozen or so members of the CRBA are on hand to help homeowners and businesses collect and relocate swarms of honeybees.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e a valuable contributor to the environment so get someone out to safely and gently collect them,鈥� Cavers said.

When the association gets a call they鈥檒l first determine whether it鈥檚 honeybees, bumbles or wasps.

鈥淲e do not collect wasps,鈥� Cavers noted.

Then they鈥檒l ask for more information on the swarm site, how accessible it is and how long the swarm has been there.

If manageable, a beekeeper will come and collect the swarm. It鈥檚 a win for all three parties, the person inconvenienced by the swarm, the beekeeper who gathers a new brood, and the bees having a statistically higher survival rate in a hobbyist hive than in the wild, Cavers said.

Swarm season traditionally runs through June. To report one call 250-900-5787 or email swarms@capitalregionbeekeepers.ca.

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