WHEN BEES SWARM

 A swarm of honey bees is a homeless beehive on the move, searching for a new place to call home. They often resemble the picture to the right, forming a protective cluster around their queen. In this state, they are surprisingly calm and gentle, as they have no hive to defend. 

While they gather around the queen, some scout bees venture out to find a suitable new home. Once they discover a promising spot, the whole swarm takes off together, embarking on a new chapter. As soon as they settle in, they get straight to work, building honeycomb so that the queen can start laying eggs right away. This natural process reflects the strong bond and teamwork of these remarkable creatures as they seek to establish a thriving new colony. 

What to do when you see a swarm?

Most beekeepers will remove a swarm of bees for as little as gas money to travel to the location to remove the hive. This is significantly cheaper and easier to get rid of the bees instead of waiting for them to move into a cavity that you don't want them to be in.  If you see a swarm and don't know what to do ask a beekeeper or contact us and we'd be happy to assist in the removal/relocation of a swarm of bees. Once they decide on moving into a structure to set up their home a 5 minute swarm removal turns into a 2-3 hour removal which means it costs more money in the removal cost. 

What inexperienced non beekeepers will tell you is to "just leave them alone and they will go away in a few days". While this is true the question that most people should also ask themselves is- “Where do they go when they move on?”  The easiest and safest choice is to contact a beekeeper to remove the swarm which will cost very little and you can ensure that your bees don't take up residence inside of your home or any other place you don't want them.  

Honeybees swarm primarily as a natural reproductive strategy to ensure the survival and expansion of their colonies. Here are the main reasons why this phenomenon occurs:

1. **Colony Reproduction**: When a bee colony becomes overcrowded or reaches its peak population, the queen lays fewer eggs and starts to produce special queen cells. This signals the colony's readiness to reproduce.

2. **Formation of New Colonies**: When the new queen emerges, the old queen and a significant number of worker bees leave the original hive to find a new home, forming a swarm. This allows the colony to split, effectively creating a new colony and ensuring the continuation of the bee population.

3. **Survival Mechanism**: Swarming helps prevent overcrowding and reduces competition for resources within the hive. By dispersing to new locations, the bees can find more abundant food sources and suitable nesting sites.

4. **Environmental Cues**: Factors such as temperature, floral availability, and hive conditions can trigger swarming. Bees are highly responsive to environmental changes, which can prompt them to swarm in search of better living conditions.

Overall, swarming is an essential behavior for honeybees that promotes genetic diversity, colony health, and the sustainability of their populations.