Honey Bee Swarms swarming process.
It is the time of year that honey bees will start swarming. This time of year, we always have folks call concerned about seeing a large numbers of bees either flying or gathered together in a huge mass. There is nothing to be alarmed about, this just a honey bee swarm.
Bees swarm as a natural part of a bee colony development. When a hive gets too full the old queen will take anywhere from several hundred to several thousand worker bees and a few select drone bees and go in search of a new hive.
The queen bee is protected in the center of the swarm during the to for beekeepers to collect or hive the swarm.
If you know a local beekeeper, give them a call if they have time and the swarms is not 200’ up a tree they will most likely want to collect the bees. Other than that, just do not disturb the swarm and enjoy watching one of nature’s fascinating creatures.
Swarming usually typically takes place in spring or early summer as this is when bees tend to increase their population.
The primary swarm season is between March and May, but occasionally secondary swarms occur later in the season. It is an instinctive part of the honey bee lifecycle and provides a means for the colony to reproduce and grow.
Beekeepers work to control swarming in managed hives as much as possible; they had rather have the bees relocate to hives in their apiary (a place where bees and beehives are kept for honey production) than in a dead tree trunk or other location.
However, not all hives are managed and even in managed hives swarms sometime escape.
While the site of a swarm can be alarming, any danger associated with a bee swarm is very small. Honey bees only act defensively around their hives where they have young and food.
While swarming they are at their most docile state. In a swarm there are no young and there is no food to protect.
Typically, the best action is no action. A swarm of honeybees will usually only stay in one location for a day or two, while the workers are out looking for a suitable hive.
This is also a good time