LAFAYETTE — For many, Spring is the perfect time to be outside, but it's also the perfect time for bees to relocate their hives.
Local beekeepers say there has already been an increase in sights of Honey Bee swarms in yards across Acadiana, which can be worrisome for homeowners, but Keith Guidroz, a Lafayette beekeeper urges the community to not be afraid.
"You do want to be a little bit cautious, but you don't need to be afraid because they're not aggressive," says Guidroz. "It's not like they're these killer bees where they're going to chase you out of your yard, but you do want to call a beekeeper and get someone that can come in and handle them for you."
Honey Bees are extremely active around this time of the year. When seen in large swarms, they are often looking for a place to create a new hive, re-pollinate and reproduce. But sometimes they do this a little too close to our homes.
Guidroz says it's important to re-home them, rather than exterminating them, as they play a major role in providing their pollination services to us.
"There's a lot of different vegetables and fruits that need to be pollinated in order to produce a crop," says Guidroz. "So the beekeeping and the use of the Honey Bees is necessary for agriculture."
Honey Bees also help beekeepers like Guidroz continue their hobby and research, while providing fresh raw honey for the community to enjoy.
"They are a valuable resource, especially around this time of the year," says Guidroz. "It's expensive for beekeepers to buy new bees, so if they can come to your house and remove a swarm of bees, then there is a good chance that they will be able to make a new hive with it. We can provide a service to you and get something in return."
Guidroz encourages anyone with a swarm of bees, or a hive, in their yards to contact a local beekeeper through the Acadiana Beekeepers Association Facebook page to have them safely removed and relocated.
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