As the weather warms up, we approach the time when bees may swarm. This is a natural process of reproduction for a colony and is most likely to happen in Spring.
Worker bees feed the queens throughout the year. When the hive is getting ready to swarm the workers will stop feeding her before the anticipated swarm date and the queen will stop laying eggs. This is so that she is not too heavy to fly. When the time comes to move on, bee “scouts” search the area for suitable sites and will report back with the location of suitable nesting sites to the other bees in the colony.
Before the swarm emerges, scout bees will find a nearby location for the swarm to gather. They do not fly far at first. They may hang in a tree or on a branch only a short distance from the hive. They cluster about the queen and send more scout bees go out to find new nest locations. This pit-stop is not permanent and they will normally leave within a few hours. From this temporary home the cluster will pick the final nest site based on the level of excitement of the “waggle dances” of the scout bees.
Honey bees are quite vulnerable during swarming as they only carry as much food (nectar or honey) as their stomachs can hold. They could starve if they do not find a secure home and new nectar sources. This is more likely if they leave on a warm day followed by wet or cold weather.
A good nesting site for honey bees must be large enough to accommodate their swarm and well protected from the elements. It will have a small entrance and gain a certain amount of warmth from the sun. Chimneys, wall cavities and roof spaces are often favoured.
The scout bees ”waggle dance” is a masterclass in communication. It will indicate the distance, direction and quality of the site to the others in the swarm. The more excitable the dance, the more the scout is promoting her findings. If the other scouts like what they see, they will inspect the proposed site and return to boost it to the colony.
Several sites may be promoted by different scouts but, a favourite location gradually emerges from this decision-making process. The swarm can only survive for about three days on the honey on which they gorged themselves before leaving the hive, so a fairly speedy decision is needed.
When the scout bees agree on the nest site the whole clustered swarm takes off and flies to it. It may be a kilometre or more to the new site, with the scouts acting as guides by flying above the swarm in the right direction. This is an amazing demonstration of collective action for the wellbeing and reproduction of the honey bee colony.
A swarm of bees can be alarming, although they are not normally aggressive at this point, as they are more concerned with looking after the queen and finding a new nest site. Bees tend to swarm near their hives or honeycombs, so if a swarm is visible then a nest is nearby. Our advice is to keep your distance and call the experts.
If you find a honey bee colony has moved into a part of your property, whether it’s a chimney stack, brick wall or wooden shed, we can help you with safe removal. Our aim wherever possible is to avoid dismantling your home, and to protect the colony.
Lakeside Bee Services offers a range of products and services to support the preservation of bee populations. Our live bee removal services are designed to safely remove bees from unwelcome locations and bring them back to our country garden apiary, where the colony can thrive.
