Honey bee colonies reproduce by swarming, a process where about one third to one half of the workers in a colony leave in a swarm with the queen to set up a hive in a new location. The original hive is left with a developing queen, worker bees, and brood. A swarm of honey bees is typically composed of one queen and thousands of worker bees. Swarms can range from the size of a softball to larger than a basketball, depending on the number of bees.
Swarming can happen throughout the active beekeeping season (spring through fall) but is most common in Michigan in May and June. When the colony determines conditions are right, the swarm leaves the hive. Before flying to its final destination, the swarm gathers close to the hive, often on a tree branch, fence post, or other nearby spot. The swarm typically stays in this temporary location for a couple hours to several days, which is when it is often spotted by passers-by. While the swarm is in this temporary location, scout bees search for a suitable location for the colony to take up more permanent residence. Once the new location is determined, the swarm departs and flies as a group to the new location.
Why should you contact a beekeeper if you find a swarm? Because a swarm is a fully functioning colony, many beekeepers are prepared and willing to collect swarms into hive equipment to expand their beekeeping operations. Swarms that are not collected by beekeepers unfortunately may not survive. Beekeepers have to manage honey bee colonies for parasites and disease, so unmanaged colonies have a high likelihood of dying due to unmanaged disease and parasite pressure. Even worse, as these unmanaged colonies die, they can risk spreading parasites and diseases to managed colonies.
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Categories: Michigan, General