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Reporting a swarm

If you have just spotted a honey bee swarm, this is the section for you. Most reports take under a minute.

• How do I report a swarm I have just seen?

  Go to reportswarm.co.uk, add a photo if you can, drop a pin on the map and leave a name and phone number or email. A local beekeeper or association is notified straight away and will contact you to arrange collection.

• Is it definitely a honey bee swarm?

  Honey bee swarms are usually a tight football- or rugby-ball-sized cluster of bees hanging from a branch, fence or wall, often with bees flying around it. Wasps, bumblebees and solitary bees are not the same and beekeepers usually cannot collect them — but if you are not sure, send a photo through the report form and we will work it out.

• Will it cost me anything to report a swarm?

  No. Reporting a swarm via ReportSwarm is completely free for the public. Most beekeepers also collect swarms for free, though some may ask for a small donation towards travel — that is between you and them.

• How quickly will someone come out?

  Swarms move on within a few hours to a couple of days, so beekeepers respond as quickly as they can — often within the same day during the May–July season. If your report is urgent (children, road, school), please mention it in the notes.

• What if no beekeeper is available in my area?

  We route the report to your nearest registered beekeeper or association first. If nobody picks it up, we widen the search. In the rare case that no collector is available we will let you know and point you towards the BBKA swarm page for further options.

Costs

• Is SwarmBase free to use?

  Yes — SwarmBase is free for the whole 2026 beta for beekeepers, associations and the public. No card, no quotas, no per-swarm fees. Full details on the pricing page.

• Will it always be free?

  During the 2026 beta, yes. Beyond the beta we may introduce paid plans, run on donations, or a mix of both — we will give plenty of notice before anything changes.

• Do members of the public ever pay?

  No. Reporting a swarm is and will remain free.

For beekeepers

• How do I sign up to collect swarms?

  Create a free account at swarmbase.co.uk/signup. Set your apiary location and the distance you are happy to travel, and you will be notified about swarms in your area.

• Do I need to be in an association to use SwarmBase?

  No. Independent beekeepers are welcome. If your local association is also on SwarmBase, you can join it from your profile and reports get coordinated through them. If they are not yet, you can refer them in one click.

• How do I choose which swarms to take?

  You will see new swarms near you on the live map and via push, email or SMS notifications (you choose). Each report includes location, photo and access notes. Tap to claim — claiming locks it to you so nobody else turns up at the same address.

• What does SwarmBase track for me?

  Every swarm you collect is logged to your profile with date, location and outcome. Over a season you build a useful record of where swarms came from and how they fared.

• What is my share link?

  In your profile you can pick a short slug (like "egbka") and share the link on Facebook, your website or with neighbours. When someone reports a swarm via your link, you get an exclusive 10-minute window to claim it before anyone else is notified — useful if you advertise yourself locally as the go-to person for swarms.

• How do I stop receiving swarm alerts?

  Toggle off "Swarm alerts" in your profile. Reports submitted via your personal share link will still notify you — opting out only mutes the broader area-wide alerts.

For associations

• How do I set up my association on SwarmBase?

  Use the association sign-up. You will get a shared inbox for every public swarm report in your area, an onboarding link to share with members, and the choice between coordinator-led dispatch or auto-dispatch to nearby collectors.

• Can our existing swarm coordinator still run things their way?

  Yes. SwarmBase supports a coordinator-led model where one person sees the inbox and assigns reports, an auto-dispatch model where the platform notifies eligible members, or a mix per area. Nothing is forced — pick what suits your committee.

• Will members need to create another account?

  Members sign up once on SwarmBase and link to your association from their profile. They use the same account whether they are reporting collections, browsing the map or receiving notifications.

• Can we see season-end stats?

  Yes — every report and outcome is recorded, so you get reporting on call-outs, collections, response times and outcomes for the season.

About SwarmBase & ReportSwarm

• What is the difference between SwarmBase and ReportSwarm?

  ReportSwarm (reportswarm.co.uk) is the public-facing site members of the public use to report a swarm sighting in under a minute. SwarmBase is the platform beekeepers and associations use to receive those reports, coordinate collections and track outcomes. They share an account and a privacy notice.

• Who runs SwarmBase?

  SwarmBase is currently an independent project run by Adam Finzel from the UK, built with input from beekeepers and associations. See the about page for more.

• How do you handle my data?

  We collect the minimum we need to route swarm reports and run the services. The full details are in our privacy notice.

• Something is wrong, missing or confusing — how do I get help?

  Drop us a line via the contact form. We read everything and reply quickly during the beta.