Equalizing Bee Colonies
Equalizing bee colonies is a beekeeping approach that seeks to have hives with balanced populations across the apiary. Instead of having 2 very strong colonies and 2 very weak ones – the hive resources – such as bees, brood and food are distributed. In this guide, we will explore the definite benefits of this practice and well as recognizing the risks and potential downsides.

In my apiary, I do practice hive equalization on occasion. However, I believe that beehive management at an extreme level has a negative effect on the bees. Rather than micro-manage the hives, I work to avoid wide variances in colony size.
What Is Equalizing in Beekeeping?
Equalizing in beekeeping is a method of adjusting hive populations. The goal is to avoid having a colony that is too small and weak to protect itself or having one so strong that is it likely to swarm.
This principle applies to food stores as well as bees. In late Summer (after my honey harvest), I don’t leave one hive with 2 boxes of food stores and another with only half of one box.
Yet, most often equalizing your hives is referring to bees or bee brood. Commonly, we are moving frames of brood with or without the accompanying nurse bees to boast population in a smaller colony.

Why Colonies Grow Unequally
There are several factors that influence the population of a honey bee colony – even within the same bee yard.
Queen performance and genetic traits are the top contenders but pests and disease play a role as well.
If you have your colonies sitting in a straight row, those on the end will often grow larger. This is due to “drifting in bees”.
Loaded foragers coming back to the hive enter the closest one. Guard bees often let them in. Would you turn away a friend bearing food?
Benefits of Having Beehives of the Same Strength
Honey bee families grow at different rates but beekeepers see the advantages of minimizing these differences.
- prevent or reduce swarming
- strengthen weaker colonies making them sustainable
- consistent honey production
- minimize robbing and fighting – aid colony health
How to Equalize Bee Colonies
The actual process used to equalize hive populations depends on the beekeeper’s goals and the needs of the colony. Common techniques involve:
- transferring frames of brood
- shaking nurse bees into a weaker hive
- swapping hive locations

Brood Frame Manipulation
Moving a few frames of brood from the strong hive to the weaker one is the most common way to balance hive populations.
Often, this is capped brood that is due to emerge soon and those workers will quickly add to the hive population.
Whether or not you leave the nurse bees on the brood or shake them off depends on the strength of both colonies.
If the donor hive is packed with bees, I often spray a light amount of sugar water on the brood frames and leave the workers on the frame. They will introduce themselves as the sugar water is cleaned up.
However, if the donor hive has a good but not crowded population – I may shake off the bees. Moving only a frame of brood to the weaker hive and repeat the process in a couple of weeks.
Shaking Bees
The bees on the frames of brood in a hive tend to be the younger workers. They do not have as much field experience as the colony’s regular forager bees.
You may a frame of brood from the strong hive and shake the bees off the frame into another opened (weaker) colony. Replacing the brood frame back into the original colony.
Some of these shaken bees will return to their mother colony but some will stay in the new location. This works but it is my least favorite solution to equalizing my hives.

Swapping Hive Locations
Another popular option is switching hive locations. If you have a strong colony with a robust population, move it to the beehive stand of a weaker colony.
Now, put the weaker hive in the strong colony spot. Returning foragers will mostly join the weak colony giving them a rapid boost in field bees.
Potential Risks and Challenges
While this is an effective hive management tool, manipulating hive populations is not without its risks.
- queen rejection or supersedure risks
- disease and pest concerns
On occasion, queen problems may arise – especially when moving frames of brood with bees. The disruption of colony pheromones may cause the colony to ball the queen – this can result in her death.
Also, queen replacement or supersedure may occur when the colony feels stressed or threatened due to an influx of strange bees.
Likewise, any time we are moving bees, brood and comb – you will always have a risk of spreading disease or pests such as Small Hive Beetles or varroa mites.
When to Equalize Bee Colonies
The best time of year to equalize your hives is in early spring before the major nectar flow. Make this part of your spring beekeeping task list.
This gives you an opportunity to evaluate your colonies that are coming out of Winter and help them get ready for the busy season.
Balanced colonies are much more likely to be ready for the honey flow when this time of abundance comes to your region. This is not a calendar activity but depends on where you live and the local forage.
Best Practices for Success
- don’t over do it – avoid taking too much from the strong hive and making them weak
- monitor the hives after equalizing to ensure success
- don’t give a weak hive more frames of brood than they can keep warm and care for
- be very cautious when bringing in frames from other beekeepers – due to AFB
Final Thoughts
Equalizing bee colonies is a useful management tool that helps maintain balance in the apiary. But, it is not a required practice for every beekeeper or every hive. Some colonies do just fine on their own and over-management by the beekeeper may do more harm than good. Understanding the benefits and risks will help you make the best decision for your bees.