Swarm lists by state
Maine
Maine has both a state Apiary Program and an active Maine State Beekeepers Association. Honey bees are especially important to Maine agriculture, including blueberries and apples, and the state posts a current public swarm collectors list residents can use.
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
- Maine State Beekeepers Association
- Typical swarm season
- May to June
- Africanized honey bees
- not established
Official resources in Maine
Official state page for apiary licensing, bee import rules, inspections, fact sheets, and the public swarm collectors list.
Official statewide beekeepers association with local chapters, education, and Maine-specific beekeeping resources.
Official association page for reporting a honey bee swarm and getting connected with volunteer swarm removers.
UMaine Extension page for Maine beekeeping classes, publications, and links to local learning resources.
Key facts for Maine
- Anyone who keeps honeybees in Maine must obtain an apiary license (Maine DACF Apiary Program).
- Anyone importing bees into Maine must submit an Import Notification of Bees form, a health certificate, and the fee (Maine DACF Apiary Program).
- Maine honey bee colonies may be inspected for regulated diseases and parasites, and inspections can be requested (Maine DACF Apiary Program).
- The Maine DACF Apiary page includes a public "List of Swarm Collectors" updated as of March 2026 (Maine DACF Apiary Program).
- UMaine says Africanized bees could arrive during pollination season, but survival through Maine winters is not considered likely (UMaine Extension blueberry factsheet).
- Maine’s beekeeper calendar emphasizes swarm prevention in May and June; swarming tends to occur in spring near the first good nectar flow (Maine State Apiarist fact sheets).
What to do next
- If you keep bees in Maine, start with the state Apiary Program page and complete licensing before or as you set up colonies.
- For a visible swarm, do not spray or disturb it; use the state swarm collectors list or the MSBA swarm-removal form.
- Expect the main swarm-prevention window in May and June, and inspect colonies before crowding builds during early nectar flow.
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