Swarm lists by state
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania has an active statewide beekeeping structure centered on the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Penn State Extension, and the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association. I did not find a current official statewide county-by-county swarm-removal list, but PSBA does maintain a statewide local-association directory that residents can use to find nearby beekeepers. Penn State guidance for Pennsylvania says honey bee swarms are most common in spring and early summer.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- State beekeepers association
- Pennsylvania State Beekeepers Association
- Typical swarm season
- April to June
- Africanized honey bees
- not established
Official resources in Pennsylvania
Official state page for apiary registration, inspections, bee law, American foulbrood updates, and the State Apiarist contact.
Official statewide beekeepers association for Pennsylvania, with association information and links residents can use to connect with the beekeeping community.
Statewide directory of local Pennsylvania beekeeping clubs; best official path I found for residents seeking nearby beekeepers.
Penn State’s homeowner guide for identifying social bees/wasps and understanding when honey bee swarms are temporary and usually nonaggressive.
Penn State guidance on Pennsylvania honey bees and when to contact a beekeeper or qualified removal specialist.
Key facts for Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania’s official apiary program is 'Apiary & Pollinator Services' under the Department of Agriculture. (PDA)
- The PDA Apiary page names Karen N. Roccasecca as State Apiarist. (PDA)
- Pennsylvania’s current Bee Law was established in 1994 through work by PDA and the Pennsylvania State Beekeepers’ Association. (PDA)
- Penn State says honey bee colonies swarm in spring and early summer in Pennsylvania. (Penn State Extension)
- Penn State says swarms are usually not aggressive and often leave within two days. (Penn State Extension)
- Pennsylvania guidance focuses on European honey bees; suspected non-European/Africanized-type colonies should be reported to PDA. (PDA Apiary Advisory Board/PDA)
What to do next
- If you find a hanging cluster of honey bees, use Penn State’s guidance first; if it is a swarm, contact a nearby PSBA local association to locate a beekeeper.
- If you keep bees or acquire a swarm, register the apiary with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and use the state inspection program.
- If bees are inside a wall, soffit, or other structure, seek an experienced beekeeper/removal specialist rather than treating it as a simple outdoor swarm.
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