BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER > DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING
Swarm signs
Lone:
This question would be for Slicko and any other experts in swarming, though I can't imagine many outdoing Slicko in the swarming stakes.
What signs are there outside the hive that it is going to swarm? How soon before it swarms can you see preparations? What sort of buzzing do they have? Do you generally see drones a particular length of time before they swarm?
I am asking just in case in the future my hives ever recover enough to want to swarm. There was a fair bit of flying around in front of one of the hives the other day, but I think the heat may have caused that.
Lone
Michael Bush:
Any hot day a lot of bees will be hanging out. Any warm afternoon in a booming hive a lot of bees will be hovering around the hive. When they are actually swarming, of course, there are thousands of bees in the air, but not just next to the hive. As far as predicting swarming, you have to listen and look in side. A hive that is getting ready to swarm has a distinct sound. Kind of a warble to the hum instead of a steady hum. If you see a strong hive backfilling the brood nest (filling it in with nectar) during the swarming season (meaning not in the fall shutdown) that's a pretty good indicator they are headed that direction.
David LaFerney:
--- Quote from: Michael Bush on November 29, 2009, 09:49:17 am --- If you see a strong hive backfilling the brood nest (filling it in with nectar) during the swarming season (meaning not in the fall shutdown) that's a pretty good indicator they are headed that direction.
--- End quote ---
Once you see that isn't it too late to head it off other than maybe by splitting up the hive?
Michael Bush:
>Once you see that isn't it too late to head it off other than maybe by splitting up the hive?
Backfilling? No. You can open up the brood nest and often get them to give up at that point. Swarm cells (with larvae in them, not just cups)? Yes, it's too late, IMO to be worth the effort to try to stop them.
JP:
I look at an abundance of drone brood as a good indicator of hives gearing to swarm.
...JP
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