Do We Do Bee Relocations?
In short, we don't.
Here's why:
Seasoned beekeepers are usually reluctant to go collect swarms because, more than 80% of the time, the bees are gone when the beekeeper gets to the location. The time spent coordinating, planning, and packing a vehicle, driving to the location, and only finding the bees are gone upon arriving is disappointing. Time is often wasted. Swarms are usually feral. Beekeepers manipulate their hives so they do NOT swarm.
On the other hand, a beekeeper may go through a full day of work, collect a swarm, and pour the bees into a newly set bee box only to see the swarm fly away! Again, time wasted. It's like trying to make a feral cat into a house cat within a few minutes…most times, it doesn't work.
The other concern is diseases or pests associated with feral hives. Just as introducing a feral cat to your healthy house cats wouldn't be a good idea, it is the same for backyard beekeepers. Fortunately, a feral cat can get a clean bill of health or treatment for a clean bill of health by a veterinarian. Unfortunately, there is not a bee veterinarian.
For beekeepers, it is believed to be best practice to isolate the feral hive and re-queen the hive on another property for 3 months or until it is determined that it is safe to introduce the hive to the main bee yard. It is Florida state law that swarms must be re-queened. New queens sell for a minimum of $50. The out-of-pocket cost for the beekeeper is easy: $350 ($50 for a queen and $300 for the woodware to house the hive). This cost does not include the beekeeper's time, labor, mileage, and cost of relocation supplies/materials.