Why are there bee swarms buzzing through NYC — and what to do if you see one

Bee warned.

Hordes of bees have been flocking to planters, trash bins and even bicycles around Midtown Manhattan this season, according to multiple social media posts and videos capturing the “biblical” swarms.

“It’s a fascinating and terrifying experience,” said Nick Rozak, head beekeeper at the nonprofit Bee University NYC and Staten Island chapter president of the New York Bee Club.

“You’re standing there, and there’s 20 or 30,000 bees in a tornado flying through Midtown Manhattan. It’s definitely going to make people pay attention.”

Why are there bee swarms now in NYC?

More than 200 species of bees call Gotham’s trees, light poles and buildings home, according to the city’s Health Department — and much like their human counterparts, summer serves as peak time for them to find a new home and food sources, resulting in swarms.

“A colony of thousands of bees may form a swarm when it is time to leave their hive and form a new one,” according to the city website, adding that bee swarms may land on a “stationary object” in the process.

But Rozak asserts the bees aren’t setting up a new home on bicycles or traffic lights, and worker bees are just “hanging out waiting for further instructions” while scout bees actively look for more hospitable spots for a permanent hive.

Dramatic videos of Midtown swarms this season were first reported last month near West 38th Street and Seventh Avenue, per PIX 11, while others have since been spotted near Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue.

While Nick Hoefly, certified master beekeeper and New York Bee Club administration director, told The Post that swarming behavior is “very regular” for bees, he noted that Midtown’s swarming is easy to see due to a lack of greenery.

A surge in Manhattan’s corporate rooftop beehives also led to a density in bees that’s a “little higher than what Midtown can handle,” he added. “The swarming may be a little more than they would be regularly, but it’s not a wild thing that we’re seeing.”

Rozak added that responsible beekeepers prevent regular swarms by “tricking” bees to stay put — but it’s unclear whether the recent Manhattan swarms are the result of an inexperienced beekeeper or “feral” hives.

“As an urban beekeeper, it’s part of our responsibility to actually prevent swarming,” he said. “It’s healthy for the bee to do that, but in an urban setting, we try our best to prevent it.”

What to do if you see a bee swarm

New Yorkers witnessing a bee swarm on city property are urged to call 911, according to the health department. However, the city’s website notes that hives don’t need to be removed unless they pose a danger to humans.

The city retains a “bee cop” to handle swarms, Hoefly said, who in turn keeps a shortlist of other beekeepers for backup. The NYPD’s bite-sized beekeeping unit responded to dozens of swarm and hive removal requests in the boroughs between 2019 and 2024, per Gothamist.

Hobbyist beekeepers will also oftentimes catch wind and flock to the scene at no cost for the chance to haul a swarm away, Hoefly said, while other beekeepers and pest control companies will charge a fee.

“Most of the swarms that you’re seeing on social media are getting picked up by local beekeepers,” Hoefly explained. “It really depends on who’s available and how much of a nuisance the swarm is.”

Is a bee swarm dangerous?

Rozak asserts that bee swarms are not dangerous, and the bees are “extremely docile” when they’re in a swarm because they’re not protecting babies, food or shelter.

“It looks terrifying, but you could literally just stand in the middle,” he said — unless, of course, you’re allergic.

“The average person could just take out their phone and take some photos — don’t interact with them, don’t get in their way, just let them land somewhere and then call a beekeeper to come respond,” he said.

“You want to practice a little bit of caution because they are stinging insects,” Hoefly added, “but they’re generally not going to bother you much if you’re not bothering them.”

How long do bee swarms stay in one place?

Bees tend to act on their natural instinct to swarm around May to July, and take about two weeks to prepare to flee their existing hive. Once bees start to swarm, they could be in and around a stationary object for between a few hours to as long as several days.

“Usually they’re not there for more than a week,” Hoefly said. “However, there is the odd swarm that decides to ‘set up shop’ right where they’re sitting.”

The New York Bee Club, formed last year on Staten Island and in Queens with a Brooklyn chapter on the horizon, seeks to educate beekeepers and give them resources to help hives thrive — including workshops on how to prevent swarming.

“Especially in urban areas, the goal is always to keep your bees in the box,” Hoefly said. “The bees sometimes have made up their mind, and no matter what you do, they’re going to swarm .. but the more responsible you are as a beekeeper, the better ability you have to keep the bees from swarming.”