It’s a little unnerving. You’re out for a casual walk in the woods or renovating an old house when you suddenly hear then spot a large cloud of bees. Sometimes they show up in your mailbox or inside the walls of old barns. It’s loud and a sting seems unavoidable. But no need to worry, it’s just honey bees looking for a new, bigger home. They’re harmless and might need some help. Here’s what to do if you spot one:

1| Don’t panic. During a swarm, honey bees are very docile. They’ve outgrown their hive and are laser-focused on finding a new, bigger space. They aren’t really worried about you.

2 | They aren’t mad. Honey bee swarms put off a lot of energy but they aren’t mad or defensive. It’s very unlikely you’ll get stung.

3 | Don’t kill the bees. No honey bees, no food … as pollinators, honey bees are crucial to the food supply chain. A swarm means they are growing and spreading and that’s a good thing. Don’t destroy them or throw rocks or spray them with water or pesticides.

4 | Call a professional. The best thing to do is walk away and call a local beekeeper who will be more than happy to relocated the swarm for you. In Moore County, Kerry Syler, Billy Allen, and John Ferrell are three local producers of honey. You can also call the Moore County UT Extension office at 931-759- 7163 and they’ll direct you. •

{The Lynchburg Times is an independently owned and operated newspaper that publishes new stories every morning. Covering Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}