Why do bees swarm

Interestingly upon the scouts return they are judged on the level of energy in their dancing to determine which scouts location will be an appropriate site for their new home. While they await the scouts return the remaining bees in the swarm will protect the queen from any potential predators or harm. The queen will still struggle in the upcoming flight despite her recent dieting and the swarm may have to stop at regular intervals for her to recover.

The scouts sent from the hive don't have an easy task ahead. They need to try and find a suitable bit of real estate for the swarm.

The location will need to be sheltered from the elements but will still require some sunlight for warmth. It will require a small protected entrance and no other unwanted inhabitants within.

When all of these criteria are met or at least partially met the scout bee will return to the swarm to report her findings. Upon returning the scout bee will begin a fascinating course of action. Each scout will perform a 'Waggle Dance' after returning from a potential new site.

The vigour and energy portrayed in this dance will communicate it's a potential success, direction and distance. If this dance is performed with particular vigour and energy other scouts will be persuaded to inspect the location.

This process continues for up to three days with a gradual winner emerging. After the democratic process has been completed the whole swarm will take flight. Scout bees will fly above the swarm in the required direction to guide it towards the sanctuary. Considering the population of both ourselves and the honeybee instances of human swarm interaction are relatively low. This may be due in part to the marked increase in beekeepers nationally.

Nowhere else has this change been as pronounced as urban areas. Beekeeping has seen a huge uptake in towns and cities as awareness around the plight of bees spreads. Whilst this is, on the whole, a positive it has meant that cases of overpopulation in managed hives have been increasing and therefore interaction with humans in their environment.

On the whole, honeybees are generally fairly docile during their swarming period. Despite its somewhat threatening look a swarm is gorged on honey and remains in a fairly docile state. The swarm will only act if intimidated or if the queen is threatened.

If you come across a swarm in an urban environment where they are a threat to themselves or other people your best course of action is to contact a local beekeeper in the hope they have a vacant hive that they can be transported to. You can use the British Bee Keeping Associations handy little tool to locate a beekeeper close by. Revive a Bee. Why Do Bees Swarm? Breaking Point And Beyond 26 June The short answer to why do bees swarm? Outgrown the hive In most cases, a hive will swarm because there are too many honeybees for the size of the hive.

Other factors Sometimes hives will fall prey to disease, parasites or a lack of food and water which can lead to a forced exodus. Why do bees suddenly decide to get up and move en masse?

It's actually normal bee behavior. Honey bees are social insects eusocial, technically , and the honey bee colony functions much like a living organism. Just as individual bees reproduce, the colony must reproduce, too. Swarming is the reproduction of a honey bee colony , and it occurs when an existing colony subdivides into two colonies. Swarming is essential to the bees' survival. If the hive becomes overcrowded, resources will be scarce and the colony's health will begin to decline.

So every now and then, a bunch of bees will fly out and find a new place to live. When the colony gets too crowded, the workers will start making preparations to swarm.

Worker bees tending to the current queen will feed her less, so she loses some body weight and is able to fly. Workers will also start raising a new queen by feeding a chosen larva large quantities of royal jelly.

When the young queen is ready, the swarm begins. At least half of the colony's bees will quickly leave the hive, prodding the old queen to fly with them. The queen will land on a structure and workers will immediately surround her, keeping her safe and cool. While most bees tend to their queen, a few scout bees will begin searching for a new place to live.

Scouting may only take an hour or so, or it can take days if a suitable location proves difficult to find. In the meantime, the large cluster of bees resting on someone's mailbox or in a tree may attract quite a bit of attention, especially if the bees have alighted in a busy area. Once the scout bees have chosen a new home for the colony, the bees will guide their old queen to the location and get her settled. Workers will start building honeycomb and resume their duties raising brood and gathering and storing food.

Soon, the first queen will emerge from her queen cup. She finds, and then kills any other queens that have not yet surfaced. Now she is the new queen of the colony. Bees swarm when they need more space. A healthy colony can grow quite quickly, and this causes overcrowding. An overcrowded hive means that the bees will have less access to resources, and as a result the entire health of the colony will decline.

Bees also swarm as a means to reproduce. Honey bees are social insects. You can think of the entire bee colony as one organism. Just like the queen must reproduce, so must the colony. And the colony achieves this through swarming. This natural event results in two separate colonies, both with their own queens. Now there will be twice as many eggs being laid and brood being cared for.

People who are not used to being around bees will certainly be startled by, or be afraid of a swarm. But are swarms dangerous? The answer is no! Remember, bees only attack to protect their home. But swarms have no home, brood, or food to protect.

That means that swarming bees are quite docile and safe to be around. As long as the bees have not started making comb, experienced beekeepers can easily capture the swarm and move them to a new location. For beekeepers, catching a swarm is an opportunity for free bees. A lot goes into catching a swarm, and I recommend reading this article before attempting to catch a swarm of bees.

Basically, you must transfer the swarm into a large container.