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People in Wales urged to protect honey bees this summer

People in Wales urged to protect honey bees this summer

The British Pest Control Association (BPCA) is supporting the British Beekeepers Association's (BBKA) Swarm Savers campaign, which calls on the public to help rehome bee swarms that appear in gardens and public spaces during the spring.
Niall Gallagher, technical manager at BPCA, said: "Swarm Savers is an initiative in which thousands of trained beekeepers across the country are on standby to safely rescue and rehome honey bee swarms."
Without intervention, up to 80 per cent of swarms are unlikely to survive.
The BPCA says that bee swarms are often mistaken for wasp infestations, leading to unnecessary pest control callouts.
Mr Gallagher said: "Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, but sometimes a swarm of honey bees can be mistaken for a wasp infestation, resulting in a call to a BPCA member."
Diane Drinkwater, chair of the BBKA, said: "There's something truly magical about witnessing a honey bee swarm.
"It's how a colony reproduces; a natural marvel where thousands of bees work together to protect their queen and find a new home.
"But without help, many never make it."
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