Honey Bee Rescue Farm – also known as Antiguas del Norte Honey Bee Rescue – answers honey bee calls throughout Belen and Valencia County from its base in Belen, New Mexico, in the Rio Grande valley about 35 miles south of Albuquerque.
The farm’s specialty is exactly what the name says: rescue. Rather than exterminating, the beekeepers capture swarm colonies alive and remove established colonies from trees, buildings, sheds, walls, and commercial structures. Rescued bees are not simply released – they are placed into pollination service, where the relocated colonies go back to work supporting local agriculture. The operation also produces honey and honey bee by-products, so a colony pulled from a Belen shed may well end up contributing to the next harvest.
Serving the Rio Grande Valley South of Albuquerque
Honey Bee Rescue Farm is a member of the New Mexico Beekeepers Association and Albuquerque Beekeepers, keeping the operation connected to the wider beekeeping community along the middle Rio Grande. The service area centers on Belen and reaches the surrounding Valencia County communities – Los Lunas, Bosque Farms, Peralta, and the rural stretches in between – where cottonwood bosque, irrigated fields, and older outbuildings give swarms plenty of cavities to choose from. Swarm season in central New Mexico runs roughly March through June, when colonies divide and scouts go house-hunting. Call 505-859-3368 to describe where the bees are and how long they have been there; terms and any fees for removal are set by the beekeeper.