What is a Swarm?

by L. Scott Stevenson

Swarms are a natural and healthy part of honeybee colony reproduction. Swarms consist of a group of worker bees, that have engorged themselves on honey, and their queen. The worker bees engorge themselves in order to sustain the swarm until they find a new place to live. When something is not quite right in the beehive, the worker bees will decide that it’s time to leave. About half the bees will leave the hive with the queen and swarm to a bush, tree limb, house wall, a post, or wherever they want. The swarm will stay there from a few minutes to a day until the scout bees find an acceptable place for a new hive.

Some reasons the hive decides to swarm are:

• The hive might be congested;
• Varroa mite infestation or some other type of pest issue;
• An old, failing queen with a spotty brood pattern, or not giving off enough pheromone to let the rest of the hive know she is there;
• Lack of ventilation;
• Or, some types of honey bees are just prone to swarming.

What should you do if you see a swarm of bees outside or inside of a structure?

Honeybees are a precious resource!

• DO NOT spray them with anything.
• DO NOT try to kill them. 
• DO NOT try to box up or capture them without training.