Honey Bee Swarms

Why do Bees Swarm?

Honey Bees swarm naturally, and it is why we have a Swarm Collection Service. It is what they do to reproduce, and they are very good at it. When bees head off in a swarm, or caste, they are ensuring not only the long life of their colony, but the continuation of the species. So how do you know if you have a bee swarm or not?

How do you know if you have a swarm?

Well, a swarm usually looks like the picture on the right of this page. Honeybees, when seen all together will look from lightest brown to almost entirely black. They will often cling together in clumps, hanging off branches, trees or under benches, on your car, your porch, or down your chimney… you get the picture!

Somewhere within the cluster you will find the Queen. She emits a pheromone that sends out a signal to all the bees within her colony. It lets them know that she is there, and they need to stay around to provide for her.

When honeybees are in clusters like the picture above, they are very seldom aggressive, but caution is always advised. The bees are far more interested in searching for a new home, and generally if they are left alone, they won’t bother anyone too much. This is the perfect time for a beekeeper to come along and collect the honeybee swarm and relocate them to a nice new beehive.

Honey Bee Swarms

Why do Bees Swarm?

How do you know if you have a swarm?

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