Swarming

Click here for list of who to contact for swarm removal.

Many thanks to John Pyle for submitting this article.

Swarming usually occurs when the honeybee colony has expanded and becomes overcrowded in the hive. Before the colony swarms, new queen bees are produced in special cells (called queen cells - see right). When these cells are sealed, the old queen flies out with about half of the flying bees.

In the original colony a new virgin queen will emerge and kill the other maturing queens in their cells or she may leave the colony to head another swarm. As these queens may mature at different times, several swarms may emerge from the hive or nest.

Eventually, one queen remains to head the original colony. Swarming bees fill their stomachs with nectar or honey before leaving the hive - they are then less inclined to sting.

Do's and Don'ts

Seek advice. If you are not a beekeeper - don't panic! Wait and watch where the bees settle - usually forming a ball, then call the 'Swarm Collection Co-ordinator' [currently John Pyle for the Newton Abbot area - 01626 774333] who has a list of volunteer beekeepers willing to collect the swarm.
Do not attempt to disturb or kill the bees.

Swarms in chimneys are difficult to retrieve (if not impossible). If the chimney is open create a draught or maintain a smokey smouldering fire with dry grass clippings or similar. Once established (about 48 hours) the bees are reluctant to move.

Bees within the house will fly towards the light. Open the window. If you are a novice beekeeper remember that bees will readily move upwards, so place your collecting box over the bees. Gently smoke the bees from below.

Take a swarm on the ground by placing a box over the bees (leaving a gap to allow flying bees to join). A swarm on a wall may be taken by sweeping the bees downwards into the box, then place on the ground to collect the stragglers.

Each swarm poses a different challenge. Unusual recent swarms have been taken from post boxes, compost bins, bird nesting box, the seat of a tarmac laying machine and the top shelf of a DIY garden centre (amongst bags of woodchip).

Swarm Control Plan
Submitted by Glyn Davies - March 2009
You don’t have to keep bees for long before you discover one of the craft’s greatest challenges is swarm control. Unlike the challenges of bee health which seem to have become obsessive and all consuming in recent years, control of swarming has been a worrying concern for beekeepers since the arrival of the movable comb hive.

Link to the article (pdf)

An Infallible (almost) Swarm Control System

Submitted by: Pollinator - 2009
Assume open Queen cells have been found and the swarm has not left. One super present. The additional equipment needed is a matching brood chamber and crown board with an entrance cut on one side. This brood chamber must contain a full set of combs with foundation or drawn comb.

Swarming hive and super are placed to one side. The new brood chamber is placed on the original floor board, one comb removed.

The original BC is examined and all Q cells removed. One frame of open brood is placed in the space left in the new BC which was positioned on the original floor. Close up the frames; replace QE and super over the new BC. Place the Crown board above the super with entrance at the back. Add the original Q+ BC, inserting the spare frame of foundation to replace the frame taken from the BC below, on the edge of the brood nest . Close up.

Flying bees all join BC below; the Q+ BC is weakened and will lose the swarm instinct.

Seven days later, remove emergency Q cells on the frame of brood in lower BC. Replace it with another frame of brood from the top box; make sure any Q cells are removed and in the rest of the top box.

After 7 more days the queen should be laying well in the top box. Recombine the boxes into a single brood chamber. Swarming has been controlled this time. There should be a brood chamber with spare combs to be used in some way.

(PS If you draw the diagrams you’ll be able to do it for real without the notes!)

What happens if your swarm is left in the wild
This colony has found a place to build its combs in a tree. Not ideal for the bees, but in the absence of a warm hollow tree trunk it will have to do. But all is not lost - the swarm can still be recovered even at this late stage.

Click here to find out more