If you see what looks like a huge cloud of bees, making a loud buzzing noise, that is a swarm. It is quite natural and swarming bees are usually harmless - but keep pets and children indoors just in case.

The swarm will eventually come to rest as a large ball of bees on a tree, bush or wall. It may go into a hole in a wall or a hollow tree.

Local Beekeepers want to know about swarms, as they collect them to make new hives.

Tell us .. where the swarm is .... how long you think it has been there ... and roughly how big it is - the size of a football, or bigger, or the size of a tennis ball. Is it on a bush or high up in a tree or on a fence or has it gone into a hole in a tree or a wall? This helps us to plan what equipment we'll need. You may be asked if you can take a photograph and send to follow up your telephone call.

We will send someone round as quickly as possible to collect the swarm and remove it. If the swarm is not collected, it will probably die off, so you are doing the bees a favour by reporting them.

To arrange for a swarm to be collected check out the below swarm map.

BEES IN YOUR HOUSE