Swarms
A swarm is a lot of bees leaving the hive.
- The purpose of the swarm :
- They are looking for a new home.
- They are increasing the number of colonies.
- Increased distribution of colonies.
- Ensures the survival of the species.
- It is colony reproduction.
- What causes bees to swarm?
- Lack of space in the brood box.
- Lack of space in the supers.
- Factors we do not yet know?
- What happens when they swarm?
- The queen leaves the hive.
- A large number of workers go with her.
- They go off to find a new home.
- The remaining colony bring on a new queen.
- Why we don't want swarming:
- Losing a swarm can set a colony back a month:
- The new queen has to emerge from the cell.
- She is a virgin queen
- She has to be fed for a few days.
- She goes out on a mating flight.
- If not successfully mated she has to go again.
- Perhaps there were not enough drones to mate with.
- Perhaps it was too wet.
- Perhaps it was too windy.
- Perhaps she was eaten by a bird.
- Once mated she has to start laying
- It takes another 21 days before the new workers emerge.
- It can alarm anyone living near the hive.
- Swarms can nest in inappropriate places
- Chimneys
- Cavity walls
- Roof spaces
- Stationary vehicles
- When does swarming take place:
- Text book say May and June.
- Bees do not read text books.
- Experience says April to September
- It is usually when the colony is growing rapidly.
- It should be early enough that both colonies can develop.
- How do bees prepare to swarm?
- First sign will be formation of "queen-cups".
- They look like half a peanut shell
- Often compared to the Acorn cup.
- They are often on the bottom edge of the frame.
- They hang down
- There may be as many as 20 queen cups.
- The old queen lays an egg in each queen cup.
- The workers feed the larvae Royal Jelly.
- The workers enlarge the cell downwards.
- The workers cap the queen cells.
- The swarm leaves with the old queen
- After 16 days capped the first new queen emerges
- The workers can delay her emergence by not decapping the cell
- Unlike workers the queen needs help to leave the cell.
- If allowed she stings the contents of the other queen cells.
- The workers may protect one or moe queen cells.
- This is insurance lest the new queen does not get mated.
- The new virgin queen flies to a Drone Collection Area
- There she is fertilised by up to 30 drones.
- She returns to the hive and starts laying.
- So what do we do about swarms?
- Swarm Prevention - manage the colony so they do not want to swarm.
- Swarm control - let the bees swarm but under your control.