Stop the swarm before it starts.
£29
Swarming is one of the biggest challenges you’ll face as a beekeeper. Miss the early signs and you could lose half your colony overnight, along with your honey harvest. We’ll show you exactly what to look for and what to do.
- 16 detailed video lessons on swarm prevention and management
- Step-by-step guidance on what to do when your colony is preparing to swarm
- Proven techniques to catch a swarm and recover your colony fast
You don’t have to lose your bees to swarming. With the right knowledge, you can spot the warning signs early and act before it’s too late.
This module is part of the The 14-Day Beekeeper (£149). Only buy this individual module if you’re specifically interested in this subject, without the context of the full course.
Why Buy This Module?
Swarming is completely natural, bees have been doing it for millions of years. That doesn’t make it any less frustrating when it happens to your hive. This module gives you the knowledge to stay ahead of it.
- You’ll protect your honey harvest. A colony that swarms can lose half its bees in minutes. That means fewer foragers, less nectar collected, and a seriously reduced harvest. Knowing how to prevent swarming (and how to manage it when it does happen) keeps your colony strong all season.
- You’ll stop panicking when you see swarm cells. Most beekeepers have that heart-sink moment when they lift a frame and spot queen cells. After this module, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at (whether it’s a swarm cell, a supersedure cell, or an emergency cell) and what to do about each one.
- You’ll know how to catch a swarm. If your bees do swarm, or you find someone else’s swarm nearby, you’ll have the skills to collect them safely and add them to your apiary. A free colony of bees is never a bad thing.
- You’ll get support. Got a question about what’s happening in your hive right now? Reach out. We’re here to help you work through it.
Module Lessons
This module covers 16 specific topics. Each lesson gives you practical, experience-based guidance you can apply straight away.
1. What Is Swarming
Understand why bees swarm, what triggers the behaviour, and why it’s such a critical event for the colony. This lesson sets the foundation for everything that follows.
2. The Dangers of Swarming
Find out what’s really at stake when your colony swarms — for your honey harvest, your colony’s strength, and your long-term success as a beekeeper.
3. Early Signs of Swarming
Learn to spot the warning signs before your bees leave. Knowing what to look for during inspections gives you the time to act before it’s too late.
4. How To Identify Swarm Cells
Not all queen cells are the same. Learn to tell the difference between swarm cells, supersedure cells, and emergency cells — and understand what each one means for your colony.
5. Swarm vs Supersedure vs Emergency Cells
A deeper look at the three types of queen cell. Know which situation you’re dealing with so you can make the right management decision every time.
6. What To Do If Your Colony Is Preparing To Swarm
You’ve spotted swarm cells. Now what? This lesson walks you through your options clearly, so you can make a confident decision and keep control of the situation.
7. Artificial Swarm
The artificial swarm is one of the most effective swarm management techniques available. Learn how to do it properly and turn a potential disaster into a new colony.
8. Demaree Splits
The Demaree method lets you manage swarming while keeping your colony together and productive. Learn when and how to use it as part of your swarm control toolkit.
9. Clipping and Caging Queens
Two techniques for slowing down or preventing swarming. Understand how each method works, the trade-offs involved, and when it makes sense to use them.
10. Quarantine Apiaries
Learn how to use a quarantine apiary as part of your swarm management strategy, and why having a dedicated space for managing splits and caught swarms is worth the effort.
11. How To Catch A Swarm Of Bees
A swarm in the open doesn’t have to be lost. This lesson shows you how to safely collect a swarm — whether it’s your own bees or a call-out from a neighbour.
12. What To Do If Your Colony Has Swarmed
You missed the signs and your bees have gone. Find out how to assess what’s left, what your options are, and how to give the remaining colony the best chance of recovery.
13. My Bees Swarmed 48 Hours Ago
A practical, time-specific guide for what to do in the critical days after a swarm. Know exactly what to inspect for and what decisions to make.
14. How To Bounce Back After A Swarm
Losing a swarm isn’t the end. This lesson covers the steps to rebuild colony strength and get back on track for the rest of the season.
15. Bounced Back
See what a successful recovery actually looks like. Real examples of colonies that bounced back after swarming — and what made the difference.
16. Common Mistakes
The errors beekeepers make most often when dealing with swarming — and how to avoid them. Learn from others’ mistakes so you don’t have to make them yourself.
Part of the 14-Day Beekeeper
This Swarming module is one of 14 modules in the The 14-Day Beekeeper—our complete training program with 300+ video lessons, the Beekeeping Blueprint system, and 12 months HiveQ membership.
If you’re new to beekeeping or just starting out, the complete course will serve you better. This module assumes you already understand colony dynamics and basic inspection techniques. Without that foundation, some of the management methods can be tricky to apply confidently.
The full course builds that knowledge step-by-step, so by the time you reach swarming, you’ll have everything you need to put it into practice.
What students say
Learn why beekeepers choose us.Learned so much
was watching your videos long before you started 14DBK. Your simple method of getting the information across and genuine love of beekeeping shines through. My wife and I have now finished the course but are still learning so much from the HiveQ community. The ability to return to relevant modules at any time is an absolute blessing.
All anyone needs to start beekeeping
14DBK – Bought when it first launched and it’s been invaluable. Books, although valuable, lack the ability to watch someone actually do what they teach. 14DBK and the youtube channels new direction to education is all anyone needs to start beekeeping.
A reference library
I loved this course, as a new beekeeper it has been very helpful and we certainly be a reference library going forward that I can go back to time and again, I can fully recommend this for newbies and experienced beekeepers
A wealth of knowledge
Purchased the 14 day beekeeping course for my mum for christmas. She loved it! And we are excited to be going into 2026 with a wealth of knowledge and understanding of bees that we didnt have before.
Why Learn From Laurence?
Laurence Edwards has been teaching beekeeping for over a decade. His YouTube channel has helped hundreds of thousands of people start beekeeping with confidence, and his Beekeeping Blueprint system helped him increase his own honey yields by 400%.
This isn’t theory from a textbook. It’s practical, tested advice from someone who keeps bees every single day and has made every mistake so you don’t have to.
