The sight of a swarm of bees can be both mesmerising and intimidating. However, catching swarms is a crucial skill for beekeepers and anyone interested in fostering a healthy bee population. In this guide, we will explore the fascinating world of bee swarms and provide you with all the information you need to safely catching them.
Understanding Bee Swarms
Before delving into the process of catching swarms, it's essential to understand why bees swarm in the first place. Swarming is a natural reproductive instinct of honeybee colonies. When a colony becomes overcrowded, the queen bee and a portion of the worker bees will leave the hive in search of a new home.
This phenomenon ensures the survival and expansion of the bee population. The swarming process typically occurs in the spring or early summer when the colony is at its peak population. Swarms are not aggressive, as their primary focus is finding a suitable location for their new hive.
They are also generally stuffed full of honey so even more docile than usual and very reluctant to sting. This behaviour presents an excellent opportunity for beekeepers to capture and relocate the swarm, benefiting both the bees and the local ecosystem.
The Importance of Swarm Collection
Catching swarms is not only beneficial for beekeepers but also for the environment. Swarms that are left unattended may take residence in undesirable locations such as residential areas, leading to potential conflicts with humans. By capturing swarms, beekeepers can prevent these issues and contribute to the conservation of honeybee populations. Even better, responsible beekeepers will keep up their inspection regime throughout the season to minimise the chances of the bees swarming in the first instance.
Preparing for Swarm Season
To successfully catch a swarm of bees, preparation is key. A beekeeper should consider the following steps:
Educate Yourself: Before attempting to catch a swarm, educate yourself about honeybee behaviour, swarm dynamics, and the basics of beekeeping. Understanding the nuances of bee swarming will enhance your ability to handle the situation confidently.
Invest in Proper Gear: Equip yourself with the necessary protective gear, including a beekeeper's suit, gloves, and a veil. Safety should be a top priority when working with bees, even in non-aggressive swarm situations.
Assemble Essential Tools: Gather the tools you'll need for swarm collection. Included in my swarm kit are the following items. Ventilated poly nuc with vented screen. Frames with wax foundation. Entrance disc with screw to secure into position. Rope. Secateurs. Ratchet strap. This is a really simple kit but one that can manage even the most demanding swarm scenarios.
Identify Potential Swarm Locations: Be proactive in identifying potential swarm locations in your area. It's amazing how bees tend to swarm into the same locations year on year.
Advertise your services: It's surprising the amount of swarm calls I get through Facebook. It's my number one avenue for local swarm collections. Advertise on local village groups offering your services. Also sign up for the BBKA swarm list or through your local beekeeping association.
Catching Swarms: Step by Step
Once you've prepared adequately, follow these steps to catch a swarm:
Observe from a Distance: When you notice a swarm, resist the urge to panic. Instead, observe the bees from a safe distance to assess their behaviour and determine if they are in a swarm cluster. Wait for them to actually fully cluster before attempting to catch them. But don't leave it too long, bees will swarm onto a tree and stay for 30 mins, before taking flight again. As soon as you have a chance to catch the swarm, take it straight away.
Prepare Your Tools: I always keep my swarm kit in the back of the truck ready to go as soon as you get the call. Swarms are hot property and by having the kit readily available, will mean you are able to respond as quick as practically possible.
Approach Calmly: Approach the swarm calmly and slowly. Avoid sudden movements or loud noises that could agitate the bees.
Capture the Swarm: If the swarm is hanging on a branch or another surface, gently shake or brush the bees into your collection container or nuc. I like to then strap the nuc into the position of the swarm and leave for 10-15 mins. If you have captured the swarm into the nucleus box, the bees will fan her pheromone which will attract all of the bees inside the nucleus box.
If the bees come piling out straight away, it means the queen isn't there. You can reset at this point. Shake all the bees back out and leave for 30 mins. They will re-cluster and you can start again.
The aim of catching swarms is to get the queen in the box, get the bees to follow and then seal them in with ADEQUATE VENTILATION. It's very easy for swarms to overheat without ventilation.
Transfer to a Apiary: The beauty of catching bees in a poly nuc is that you don't have to then transfer to beehive straight away. You just need to seal the nucleus up to the bees cant escape and then transfer to a QUARANTINE APIARY.
Disease risk: Swarms are a HUGE disease risk. Always use brand new equipment, frames and foundation when catching swarms and always place the recently caught swarms into a quarantine apiary away from other bees until at least two rounds of brood allows you to complete a disease inspection.
Never feed a swarm: This is the best advice I can give you. Never EVER feed a swarm in the first week in their new hive. Prior to bees swarming, they gorge themselves on the hive's honey in order to give them the energy to set up their new home. This honey can contain the bacteria that can spread European Foul Brood.
If you feed a swarm, they don't use this gorged honey to create new wax and instead they deposit in into the new frames, thus spreading the disease. If you starve them for the first week, they have absolutely no choice other than to use the gorged honey to survive and to form new wax for their new home, thus eliminating the spread of the disease. Never ever feed a swarm in the first week and try your best to not feed them at all!
Regular Inspections: Once the bees arrive in the quarantine apiary, open the disc to allow the bees to fly and replace the ventilated roof with a solid roof. I then leave them completely alone for a couple of weeks. You can add no value at this point.
Come back two weeks later and check for eggs and brood. If you see eggs and brood, check for space and stores. If they have plenty of space and stores alongside brood you can leave them for another couple of weeks. If they need feeding at this point, feed 1:1 sugar syrup. If they need additional space, add extra boxes with clean frames and new foundation.
If there is no eggs or brood at this point, you likely have a failed queen. You will need to find and kill the queen and add in a mated queen available here from Black Mountain Honey - BUY HERE.
Final Inspection: Once 6 weeks have passed, complete a disease inspection which involves shaking all the bees off the frames and closely inspecting the brood for any deformity. Your local bee inspector can help you with this. If you pass the disease inspection, the hard part is complete and you are back to every bee colony management.
Post-Swarm Care
After successfully capturing a swarm, there are additional steps to take to ensure the well-being of the newly acquired colony:
Monitor the Hive: Keep a close eye on the hive over the following weeks to ensure that the colony is thriving. Regular inspections will help you identify and address any issues that may arise. Main issues will be lack of food/pollen. Failed queens mating.
Implement Varroa Mite Control: Introduce a varroa mite control plan to protect the swarm from common hive pests. Varroa mites can threaten the health of a bee colony, and proactive measures are essential for colony longevity. We use Apivar but Oxalic Acid sublimation is very effective in the first 5 days after capture as it will target all of the phoretic varroa mites and doesn't give them the opportunity to hide underneath the brood wax cappings.
Catching swarms is a rewarding aspect of beekeeping that contributes to the conservation of honeybee populations. By approaching swarm collection with knowledge, preparation, and respect for these incredible creatures, you can actively participate in sustaining bee populations and fostering a healthy ecosystem. As you embark on this educational journey, remember that each swarm presents a unique opportunity to learn more about the intricate world of bees and the vital role they play in our environment.
