| About Beekeeping |
| Stings |
| Swarms |
| Diseases |
| Pests |
| Annual Maintenance |
| Beginner's Corner |
| Beekeeping Gear |
| Extraction |
| Glossary of Terms |
Honeybee Swarms
What is a Swarm?
A swarm is an aggregation of bees that leaves the mother colony to establish a new colony. Swarming is a natural way for a colony to reproduce.
Why do bees swarm?
Contrary to Hollywood myths, bees don't swarm to attack humans. Rather, bees swarm because it's a natural method of reproducing a hive under the right conditions. When overcrowded, the old queen will usually leave with half the hive population to find a new hive. However, an entire hive may migrate when the following conditions occur:
- Poor ventilation
- Defective comb
- Egg-laying becoming restricted because empty cells are filled with honey
- Decline of pheromone reproduction by the queen
- Disease
- Poor ventilation
- Starvation
- Disturbance from humans or animals
- Pest infestation
You can tell when a colony is preparing to swarm by an abundance of queen cells near the top of the hive frames. When these queen cells are capped the old queen is ready to leave.
The first few moments of a swarm are spectacular. Imagine 20,000 bees roaring out of a hive! They circle and create a formation around the queen that looks like a whirlwind. This is called a swarm cluster. The swarm then moves to the nearest object, usually a tree. From this base, scout bees leave to find a permanent new home for the swarm.
However, as fierce as swarming bees may appear, they are gentle for two reasons. First, the bees are homeless; the swarm's focus is upon finding adequate shelter. Consequently, the division of labour usually found in the hive may be disrupted. Second, because they have gorged themselves on honey in preparation for the move, they are satiated and heavy.
You need to be proactive if you want to prevent swarming, because change can occur quickly. Visit your hives every 10 to 12 days and examine their activity, food stores, brood patterns, and the queen.