SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It was a tough winter for bees across the country, and industry experts are raising concerns after hundreds of millions of them died.
While many researchers are working to determine the cause, a local beekeeper in Shelbyville is helping preserve the bees that are still alive by offering to rehome some.
It's a process that happens during what's known as swarming season, which is underway right now.
"If we're lucky maybe we'll even find a queen in here somewhere," said Rob Allen, a beekeeper in Shelbyville.
Allen's beekeeping hobby started during the pandemic.
“I started beekeeping back in 2020 and just noticed during that time that there wasn't, I wasn't seeing a whole lot of honey bees around at the time. So started studying up on it,” Allen said.
Since then Allen has learned much about bee behavior and teamwork.
“Think of how many bees it takes just to make a tablespoon of honey. And so it's important that they, as a colony, stick together, work together,” Allen said.
Now he's taking all that knowledge and helping out folks who encounter a swarm of bees this spring near their yard, house, or wherever they form this spring.
Allen said when the bee hives get more packed this time of year, a swarm happens when a group of bees are pushed out and looking for a new home.
“All they're doing is just taking a break, giving her (the queen) a breather, and then they'll pick up and move on to that next location, till they find where they want to go,” Allen said.
Allen advises keeping your distance and rather than trying to exterminate the bees, call a beekeeper like him who'll rehome them for free.
"I'm going to bring along a hive box with some frames that they can get started in making that colony give them a new home,” Allen said.
He's one of many beekeepers across the state offering to find a home for those lost bees and make sure they survive.
"It's a benefit to our ecosystem to have these bees around, and so by not killing them, that's another colony that's going to thrive, and it's going to help in the pollination process,” Allen said.
Click here to get in touch with Rob Allen.
Click here for more information from the Tennessee Beekeepers Association.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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