The Southerns Beekeeping Association Bryanston, disagrees with the way local beekeeper Rassie Erasmus says one should handle a swarm of bees.
When Erasmus, who is a Bromhof resident, removed a swarm of 9 000 bees from an electricity meter in Northwold in January barehanded, he told residents what they could do in a similar situation.
Association committee member Tom Cain commented that some of these methods are incorrect.
Cain said that it is “much more responsible” to remove bees after the sun has set.
This so “aggressive bees will not then become a problem in the immediate vicinity”.
Also, the person removing the bees should always wear protective clothing, not like Erasmus, who did so barehanded and in normal clothes.
“Never go probing into electricity units in public, or on private properties, unless the power is switched off,” Cain added.
“If you do not know if it [is] live or not, do not start touching anything inside. It may be the last thing you do.”
Erasmus responded that he has been a beekeeper for 60 years, and knows what he is doing.
He also taught beekeeping at the University of Pretoria [https://www.up.ac.za/] in the ’60s and ’70s.
Erasmus said a beekeeper would only remove bees at night time, if they do not know how to control bees, and it is better to remove them at day when you can see them.
Furthermore, unless he is removing two or more swarms at once, or is standing on a roof, Erasmus will not wear a beekeeping veil or other protective clothing.
“Why would I put a veil on when they do not sting me?” he asked.
Lastly, he said that although there was electricity running through the meter in Northwold, the situation was “perfectly safe.”
Details: Beekeeper Rassie Erasmus 011 793 2684;
Southerns Beekeeping Association 074 038 3315.
