14. Congestion
Primary Factor That Initiates
Swarming
Interferes With Queen
Substance Distribution
Stimulates Queen Cup
Building
15.
16. Queen Age
Colonies With A Queen Of The
Current Season Rarely Swarm
By The Second Season, The
Chance Of Swarming Greatly
Increases
Colonies Headed By A Two Year
Old Queen Swarm More Than
Twice As Much As Colonies With A
One-Year Old Queen
17.
18. When Colonies Are Strong
And Are Developing
Rapidly, A Period Of Good
Weather After Some Bad
Weather Accentuates The
“Swarming Fever.”
19. Other Factors that May
Affect Swarming
Imbalance In The Age Structure
Of The Colony, i.e. Too Many
Nurse Bees
Too Little Laying Space For The
Queen
Too Many Drones
Poor Ventilation
20. When Does Swarming
Occur?
Kentucky- Mid April To Mid May (Peak)
1 March to 1 June
Ithaca, NY (6 Year Study)
Starts May 15
Peaks June 5-10
By July 15, 80% Done
July 15-August 15, Almost No Swarming
August 15-September 15, 20%
Maryland- Swarming Begins One Month Earlier
21. Fall Swarming- A Real
Mystery
In The North They Will Not
Survive
Is It An Accident?
May Be A Way Of Getting Rid Of
Excess Populations
22. Routine Of Instinctive
Activities
4-6 Weeks Of Preparation Before It
Occurs
Construction Of Queen Cups (First
Clue)
Made Of Old Beeswax (Brown)
Whiting Of Queen Cups (New Wax
Added)
Cups Slightly Enlarged
Eggs Laid In Cups
23.
24. Queen Is Put On A Diet
Efficiency Of Colony Begins To Decline
25. Looses 1/3 –1/2 Her
Body Weight In 8-10
Days
Slims Down So She Can
Fly
27. Some Workers Begin To
Engorge On Honey
CausesA Large Number Of
Wax Glands To Develop So
Comb Construction Can
Begin Immediately After
Swarming
28. Engorgement
Discourages Foraging (Poor
Colony Morale)
Forces Scout Bees To Stop
Scouting For Food And Start
Looking For A New Home Site
Encourages Congestion
Foraging Stops
35. Happings Back At The Hive
Have Several Queen Cells
Queen Emerges, May Kill Some Of
Them
Secondary Swarms May Leave With A
New Queen
Queen Flies With The Afterswarm
Tend To Stay Clustered Longer
May Swarm Until Only A Handful Of
Bees Are Left