A Buzz in the Building: How We Handled an Unexpected Hive
It’s not every day you find thousands of bees living inside your building. That discovery set us on a crash course in bee relocation. With help from the University of Illinois Beekeeping Club, we learned firsthand how beekeepers safely move a hive without harming it, or the people nearby.
The first step was suiting up. The beekeepers began with smoke, a method to calm the hive. When smoke appears the bees start eating honey, preparing as though a fire might force them to flee. With their bellies full, they became less likely to sting, making the process safer for everyone involved.
We then cut into the building and discovered just how large the hive was. Inside were thousands upon thousands of bees. Some combs were filled with developing larvae, called brood combs. The team focused on saving the brood combs, since they are essential for the colony’s survival, and placed them in a box for removal. While working, they also searched for the queen bee. She is the only bee who lays fertilized eggs and moving her often ensures the rest of the hive will follow. Although the beekeepers did not spot the queen that day, they managed to move large portions of the hive into the box. They then placed the box outside the original hive entrance and waited. Over the next few hours, the bees began moving in, and once they had settled, the box was taken to its new home with the beekeeping club.
Watching the process up close gave us a new appreciation for how organized and remarkable bees truly are.
It’s important to remember that bees are not naturally aggressive. They sting to protect their hive, and they’re most defensive in the fall, when food is scarce and winter is approaching. By using smoke, moving slowly and handling combs with care, beekeepers can relocate a hive without harming it. This matters, because honeybee populations are under strain worldwide from pesticides, habitat loss, and disease. Each healthy hive plays a role in sustaining ecosystems and food systems we all depend on.
We’re grateful that this hive found a safe, new home with the University of Illinois Beekeeping Club, where it joined other colonies maintained just south of campus. Thanks to their care and expertise, these bees can keep doing what they do best: pollinating plants, supporting our food systems, and producing the honey we enjoy. The next time you stir a spoonful into your tea, it’s worth remembering the tireless workers behind every drop.
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