• Menu
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

carolina honeybees logo

For the Love of Beekeeping & Bees

Header Left

Header Right

Header Left

Header Right

  • Home
  • Bees
  • Beekeeping
  • Beeswax
  • Honey
  • Bee Gardens
  • Class & Books
    • Beekeeping Class Combo
    • Beekeeping Journal
    • Buzz into Beekeeping
    • Flowers for Your Honeybee Garden Book
  • Search
  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Home
  • Bees
  • Beekeeping
  • Beeswax
  • Honey
  • Bee Gardens
  • Class & Books
    • Beekeeping Class Combo
    • Beekeeping Journal
    • Buzz into Beekeeping
    • Flowers for Your Honeybee Garden Book
  • Search
honeybees

Fun Facts about a Honey Bee Swarm

Home » Bee Farm Blog » Beekeeping » Fun Facts about a Honey Bee Swarm

September 26, 2020 //  by Beekeeper Charlotte

This post may contain affiliate links. Full Disclosure Read Here
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Bee Swarm Facts

You will never forget the first time you see a honey bee swarm. It is a thrilling sight. Thousands of bees in flight, the mass moves through the air heading for a new home. Honey bee swarming is an amazing natural event in the life of bees. They certainly are a cause for excitement because it is obvious that the bees are up to something wonderful.

medium sized bee swarm in a tree

Honey bee swarms are a natural behavior of bee colonies. In most instances, they pose no danger to the public.

Most likely to happen in the Spring, swarms can be seen at any time during the warm season.

One thing is certain, a swarm of bees in flight or hanging in a mass on a bush will create a buzz in any humans in the vicinity.

bee swarm in a tree - fun facts about bee swarms

FAQS about Honey Bee Swarms

What is a Bee Swarm?

First of all, honey bee swarms are the most natural things in the world. This is a common activity that happens anywhere you find honey bee colonies.

When a colony swarms, about half of the bee population leaves to make a new hive in another location.

The mother hive retains enough worker bees to continue the work of the original colony and to make a new queen bee.

This is a natural part of bee colony growth. Colonies that swarm are generally healthy bees just doing their “bee thing”.

Why do Bees Swarm?

Honey bee colonies swarm, in order to reproduce on the colony level.

Where there was 1 large colony, now there are 2 smaller colonies.

By traveling a distance away from the mother hive, the bees are able to spread out over a larger region. This allows for less competition for food and other resources.

Are Swarms Dangerous?

No, in general honey bee swarms are very docile.

The bees do not have any stored food or baby bees to guard. There are in a transition phase with all of their thoughts on getting to their new home.

That does not mean that a honey bee swarm will fail to protect itself. If you see a swarm, observe them from a respectful distance.

Do not allow children to play too close or throw rocks or sticks at the bees.

In most cases, the swarm will leave for their new home by the next day. If they do not, it is time to call a local beekeeper.
bee swarm on fence

What do You do If You See a Swarm of Bees?

If you see a swarm of bees, remain a respectful distance away from them. They are not prone to attack you unless you both them.

In most cases the bees will move on in a few hours or the next day. If the bees remain in place, do not try to kill them.

Call a local agricultural office or local beekeeping club – some beekeeper would love to come collect the bees.

Why do Bees Swarm in a Tree?

When you see a large clump of bees hanging in a tree. This is a temporary transition spot.

If the bees can agree, they will soon move on to their new home.large bee swarm hanging in a tree

How Long do Bee Swarms Stay?

When a swarm is resting in a transition spot they usually move on to their new hive location rather quickly.

Some swarms will leave in an hour or two while a few will linger until the next day. A swarm that stays more than 2 days is having a difficult time agreeing where to go. It might be time to call a beekeeper.

When do Bee Swarms Occur?

Honey bees can swarm during any of the warmer months. However, you will see the most swarms during Spring.

Spring is a time of growth for the honey bee colony. Their focus is on building a large work force that will be able to make and store a lot of honey for Winter.

During this time of plentiful food, the colony may decide to divide and create a new hive.

What are Bee Swarm Cells?

This term actually refers to queen cells that are found inside a beehive. The appearance of many queen cells tells the beekeeper that the colony is preparing to cast a swarm.

swarm cells in a hive

Why do Beekeepers Try to Prevent Swarms?

Colonies that swarm produce less excess honey. It’s hard to see half of our bees fly away for parts unknown.

Beekeepers invest a lot of time into techniques to reduce or prevent swarming. Do they work? Sometimes…

But often, the colony will swarm anyway. Then, we hope the original hive will be able to make a new queen from queen cells left behind.

This seemingly reckless behavior by honey bees has worked well for millions of years. Still, we beekeepers go to great lengths to prevent swarming.

And we want to build swarm traps to catch any swarms that happen.
large bee swarm entering bait hive

Will Bees Swarm Without a Queen?

Basically, no. A swarm would serve no purpose with having a queen. However, the swarm may contain a virgin queen who has not mated yet.

What to do if a Swarm of Bees Attacks You?

That’s an easy one – run. A true swarm of honey bees is very unlikely to attack anyone unless they have been provoked.

However, if you are ever in a situation where a swarm of honey bees decides you need to go – go.

Walk away quickly and get to an interior space – inside a house or even in a car. It is better to be in the car with 10 bees than outside with 10,000.

Final Thoughts on the Honey Bee Swarm

Learning how to deal with honey bees involves understanding their natural tendencies. This is the true art of beekeeping.

If you are lucky enough to see a natural honey bee swarm, enjoy the view. It is a wonderful natural process of our bees.

Many beekeepers place several honey bee swarm traps out in hopes of having 1 in the perfect location to catch bees.

Beekeeper Charlotte

Category: BeekeepingTag: Hive Management, Swarming

About Beekeeper Charlotte

Master Beekeeper, Charlotte Anderson shares her love of all things honeybee. She helps others become better beekeepers and teaches new beekeepers how to get started. Her mission is spreading awareness of the importance of honey bees. She is a former Beekeeper of the Year in South Carolina.

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

small hive beetle trap located inside a hive

Small Hive Beetle Traps-Controlling Hive Beetles

picture of adult honey bee with varroa mite on thorax

When to Treat Bees For Mites?

queen honey bee surrounded by workers

Queen Bee Life Cycle-Facts Beekeepers Need to Know

How To Paint a Beehive – Quick Easy Tips

finding a marked queen bee is easier

How to Find Your Queen Bee

queen bee and workers on a frame in the hive

Interesting Facts about Queen Honey Bees

color variations in 2 types of honey bees

Choosing the Best Types of Honey Bees

developing queen cell in capped stage on frame

4 Stages of Queen Cells

queen honey bee swarm cells on frame

Queen Cells : Do They Mean Trouble?

single honey bee queen cell hanging on a frame in the hive

What to do With Queen Cells?

picture of drone brood in beehive

What to do With a Drone Laying Queen Hive

picture of bullet shaped drone brood in drone layer hive

The Drone Laying Queen Hive

Previous Post: «adult worker honey bee The Role of the Worker Bee in the Hive
Next Post: Is a Honey Bee an Insect? honey bee insect collecting pollen»

Primary Sidebar

picture of beekeeper charlotteHi, this is Beekeeper Charlotte

Welcome to my site. Want to learn more about bees? Let’s get started.

To learn more about my journey to becoming the first female Master Beekeeper in my state?

Learn More About Me

buzz beekeeping book

Latest Posts on the Blog

small hive beetle trap located inside a hive

Small Hive Beetle Traps-Controlling Hive Beetles

picture of chunks of honeycomb in a bowl for eating

Can You Eat Honeycomb- Why You May Want to?

Footer

Affiliate Disclosure Policy

Carolina Honeybees, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.  Affiliate links to Amazon or any other company do not cost you anything.

We are also affiliates for other reputable companies and may earn a commission from sales resulting from a link. See full disclosure policy on Privacy Page. Privacy Policy & Affiliate Info

VISIT MY ETSY SHOP

Visit Carolina Honeybees on Etsy

  • About Me
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service

Copyright © 2021 Carolina Honeybees · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.