Why Do Bees Swarm?
Bees swarm for a number of reasons, their prime one is to pro-create. Although the sight of a swarm can be alarming they are in the process of relocating their home and generally leave of their own accord within 24 hours, once the scout bees have located a suitable home.
To prepare for their journey ahead, they gorge on honey prior to leaving the hive. This generally occurs at the same time the new queen cell is capped and the bees hustle the old queen out of the hive. They can appear as a cloud in the air and are usually spotted when they are resting as a cluster with the Queen at the centre. Without her there is no future for the colony.
Bees swarm for a number of reasons, their prime one is to pro-create. Although the sight of a swarm can be alarming they are in the process of relocating their home and generally leave of their own accord within 24 hours, once the scout bees have located a suitable home.
To prepare for their journey ahead, they gorge on honey prior to leaving the hive. This generally occurs at the same time the new queen cell is capped and the bees hustle the old queen out of the hive. They can appear as a cloud in the air and are usually spotted when they are resting as a cluster with the Queen at the centre. Without her there is no future for the colony.
Identifying Honeybees & Swarms
Do you know the difference between a honeybee and bumblebee? Click here to find some differences.
Honeybees are the only type of bees to swarm. If you think you may have a swarm, take a look at the BBKA website - Have I got a swarm? to confirm the identity check here.
If you have a newly arrived swarm and would like it removed, please find your nearest beekeeper using the link below
https://www.bbka.org.uk/find-a-local-swarm-collector
If bees have decided to set up home in your chimney or wall cavity it is no longer a swarm. It is a colony.
