During the next few weeks of the beekeeping season, control and stop bees from swarming are different phases in colony management. Not all beekeepers use them, and not all bee colonies require them. However, this is required for beekeeping. Swarm containment tactics entail delaying or preventing the colony from commencing the events that result in the swarm. Herd control tactics are more direct interventions used to keep a swarm alive. Now, read more article: How to stop bees from swarming?
What causes colonies to swarm?
There would be no honey bees if they did not swarm. Swarming is the process through which honey bee colonies reproduce. Without management (e.g., colony splitting), colony numbers would remain constant.
The natural impulse to reproduce is thus one of the key causes of swarming. Bees will also swarm if their current environment cannot support further colony expansion. As a result, overcrowding is another cause of swarming. As a result, vigorous, healthy, prolific colonies will almost certainly attempt to swarm on an annual basis.
The principles of swarming
When a colony swarms, approximately 75% of the worker bees of all ages leave with the queen. They establish a bivouac near the original hive before relocating to a new nest site selected by scout bees. The original colony is left with all of the brood (eggs, larvae, and sealed brood).
What they are missing is a queen. However, the swarm also leaves behind one or more newly emerging Queens among the brood. These live in specially expanded cells that are placed vertically on the comb’s edges or face.
The queen cell appears to be quite remarkable, and it is the first sight before the herd departs. This is a clear indication that swarming has outlived its usefulness and that swarm control is now required. This is one of the reasons why herd checks are so important, especially in the mid/late spring and early summer, when swarms are most prone to develop.
The risks associated with swarming
When a colony swarms, the majority of the workforce is lost. As a result, honey output will be drastically reduced. A crowded colony is unlikely to provide you with a surplus. Of course, honey isn’t for everyone, but acropolis and wax production are down, as is the colony’s ability to deliver effective ecosystem services.
Second, despite the fact that swarms are one of the most captivating sights in beekeeping, not everyone likes them. Non-beekeepers may be startled and, as strange as it may appear, resent the swarm constructing a new nest in their house’s eaves.
As a result, beekeepers must practice both swarm prevention and control. This prevents our interests from bothering others. More importantly, we must ensure that we have enough bees to provide high-quality honey for our family, friends, and clients.
How to stop bees from swarming
- Examine the appearance of the queen cells
Swarm management is essential once the queen cell has been created. But how does a colony know when it is already overcrowded? As beekeepers, we should have the ability to monitor and prevent such congestion. During the spring, when a colony grows, the queen lays concentric rings of eggs from the center of the parent’s nest. Consider it a kiwi ball at first, then an orange, and finally a giant soccer ball. Low honey reserves are another indicator of the presence of a queen bee, especially the appearance of pheromones.
>>> Read more: TOP 5 Best Honey Extractors Review 2021
Methods from which you can consult and select
-
Make a space
When the colony is full, you must make extra room for colony expansion. Piling supers on top may not be enough, while it may temporarily relieve congestion. If the swarm is filling the mother hive with nectar, adding more nectar is likely to encourage them to move stores up. This will help provide more space for the queen bee.
However, you will most likely need to encourage the bees to expand the brood nest by providing frames for them to draw combs. By adding one or two empty frames within the brood nest, you are essentially spreading it.
-
Expanding or spreading the brood nest
You can do this by removing the exterior frames, which frequently contain stores. Then replace them with new foundationless frames on one or both sides of the brood nest’s center. Normally, we would space these three to four frames apart.
However, do not just throw another parent box on top and expect the bees to move up right away. You should provide some drawn combs to get them to move through nearby frames. Then push the original frames together and fill the box with new empty frames.
-
Addition young Queens
Young Queens produce more pheromones than older Queens. As a result, you can frequently replace Queens by acquiring new ones, producing your own, or manipulating the colony during swarm control. This process has the added benefit of producing your own custom-made queens. Aside from that, there is strong evidence that local queens are better acclimated to their surroundings.
-
Robbing brood and making nucs
The first is snatching a brood 13 frames and using it to help a weaker colony. Take caution when doing so. If the receiver colony is weak due to sickness or a failing queen, the donated brood will be wasted. However, if the colony is healthy but small, it can be a worthwhile resource investment and may also help to delay swarming in the donor colony.
Conclusion
Swarms can be handled professionally in ways that benefit both the property owner and the bees. To begin, keep in mind that bees will leave you alone if you leave them alone. If you find a swarm on your property, you can contact expert services that will react swiftly and remove the swarm in a safe and pleasant manner. Or you can follow some method we have just recommend.
Related Posts:
