Powhatan bee hotline buzzing to protect the insects

POWHATAN, Va. (WRIC) -- There's some buzz around a hotline in Powhatan County and the buzz is coming from bees. 

We're talking about a bee hotline and the Huguenot Beekeepers. The hotline focuses on safely removing swarms so that people aren’t at risk and the bees can thrive elsewhere. 

John Davis with the Huguenot Beekeepers said, "About 75% of the food that we eat is pollinated by honeybees."

Even with protective gear, bees can be intimidating and for some individuals, if you see a swarm of bees, you might not know what to do. 

That’s where the hotline comes in. 

“We kinda talk people off the ledge," Davis said. "It rings, I think, six people at the same time and whoever answers the phone first tries to help...You don’t need to spray them or go put water on them.” 

Davis said he usually gets around 50 to calls by the end of the summer. He started keeping bees when he was 16, and according to Davis, if you see a swarm, they’re essentially house hunting.

Individuals have the option to either leave them be, or call the hotline where someone can come pick them up and find them a good home. However, Davis's main message is about protecting them.

“Don’t kill the bees," he said. "Call somebody. Don’t spray them. Try to minimize use of pesticides where can. That helps all the native pollinators...Try to stay cool, calm and collected and learn a little bit from nature...They teach me something every year.” 

These services are typically free of charge, but the group is wary of how high up bees can be in trees. Davis said getting high up on a ladder to get a swarm is dangerous and usually don’t risk it. 

If you see a swarm, you can call the hotline numbers below to safely remove it.