Swarm lists by state
Illinois
Illinois has a formal state apiary program through the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and beekeepers are required to register colonies with the state. For local help, residents can use the Illinois State Beekeepers Association affiliate network and local association swarm-removal pages, which are often more practical than state agency pages for live swarm pickup.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Swarm or bee removal list
- Official page →
- State beekeepers association
- Illinois State Beekeepers Association
- Typical swarm season
- spring to early summer
- Africanized honey bees
- not established
Official resources in Illinois
Main state program page for colony registration, free inspections, laws, reports, and pesticide-communication tools.
Lists the current Illinois apiary inspection regions and inspectors for requesting inspections.
State service page confirming colony registration is required for Illinois beekeepers.
State association directory to find affiliated local beekeeping clubs across Illinois.
Association swarm-reporting page with a removal request form and club guidance for Central Illinois.
Key facts for Illinois
- Illinois requires beekeepers to register one or more colonies with the Department of Agriculture (Illinois.gov service page).
- IDOA says inspections and colony registration are provided free of charge under the Illinois Bees and Apiaries Program (IDOA Bees and Apiaries).
- IDOA currently shows 10 apiary inspection regions, with Regions 2 and 7 listed as vacant (IDOA Apiary Inspectors).
- Illinois rules say no person shall possess African or Africanized honey bees in the state (Illinois bees and apiaries rules).
- IDOA's FY-24 annual apiary report says aggressive-bee samples tested negative for Africanized genes (FY-24 Apiary Annual Report).
- Illinois Extension says honey bees may swarm in spring and early summer; IDPH says swarms often leave within two to four days (Illinois Extension; Illinois Department of Public Health).
What to do next
- If you keep bees in Illinois, register every colony with IDOA first and use the Bees and Apiaries page to find forms and reports.
- If you see a hanging swarm, contact a local beekeeping association swarm-removal page quickly and avoid spraying it.
- Use the ISBA affiliate directory or region map to find the nearest local club if your county does not have an obvious public swarm list.
Helpful guides
- What to do when you see a honey bee swarm
- A swarm vs. an established hive: why it matters
- Honey bees, wasps or yellowjackets? How to tell
- Bee cutout and hive removal cost