Swarm lists by state
Iowa
Iowa has a statewide beekeeper association, the Iowa Honey Producers Association, and an active Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship apiary program. For swarm situations, Iowa State University Extension specifically points residents to the association and its district-director list to help locate a beekeeper for rescue.
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
- Iowa Honey Producers Association
- Typical swarm season
- late spring to early summer
- Africanized honey bees
- not established
Official resources in Iowa
Statewide beekeepers association website with membership, education, and public contact information.
District-director list and map that Iowa State Extension points residents to when trying to locate swarm help by region.
Official state apiary program page with apiary registration, entry permits, inspection forms, and Iowa Bee Rule information.
Official beekeeping guidance from the state apiarist program, including inspections, disease control, and pesticide-exposure reporting.
Iowa State University Extension guidance for residents on identifying, safely handling, and finding help for honey bee swarms.
Key facts for Iowa
- IDALS says any beekeeper-managed colony in Iowa is subject to inspection, and apiary inspection is provided with no fee.
- Iowa apiary registrations expire December 31 each year and may be renewed the following year.
- Commercial applicators may not apply bee-toxic pesticides to blooming crops from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. within one mile of a registered apiary.
- ISU Extension says honey bee swarming in Iowa usually occurs in late spring and early summer.
- ISU Extension says the Iowa Honey Producers Association can help locate a beekeeper willing to rescue a swarm.
- Iowa rules require imported honey bees to be certified as European; Africanized honey bees may not be transported into Iowa.
What to do next
- If you find a clustered honey bee swarm outdoors, keep people back and avoid spraying; ISU says many swarms are temporary and move on.
- Use the IHPA district-director page first to find regional swarm-help contacts in Iowa.
- If you keep bees in Iowa, register apiary sites annually with IDALS so the Bee Rule protections apply.
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