First Swarm of 2024

Published: 2024-05-09 10:51 AM

Category: Beekeeping | Tags: hobby, swarm, bees, honey bees

The spring here is about two weeks ahead of schedule. My bees have been building up and I've already split a couple of hives because they were bursting by the end of April. Last night, I figured it was time to get my swarm traps out because the weather has been so good and I didn't want to miss an early swarm or two if I could help it.

I went out with my son and we were prepping a box when he said, "Look at all the bees!" I didn't think much of it because I keep spare equipment in my barn right now and there have been visitors taking leeftover pollen and honey out of old frames.

Then I heard the roar.

This is the third swarm I've actually been present for. It is exhilarating listening to thousands of bees swirl up like a tornado and all congregate in one place. They came down and into the barn through the gable end (which is yet to get siding) and started settling into the empty boxes. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture this time - it all happened so quickly that I didn't have time to go back inside and grab my phone.

A swarm is a natural result of a colony outgrowing their home. The workers will build queen cells to raise a new queen and the old will leave with 50-60% of the colony and find a new home. Bees want a nice, sheltered place to set up the new colony and my empty boxes and frames fit the bill.

I was able to find the queen and get her moved into a swarm box, which was a huge relief because it was much easier to move them into the apiary last night. I have the entrance disk set to keep the queen inside. The goal is to have her start laying eggs and workers start foraging. I'll give them a week or so before transferring the colony into their permanent home.

I was worried I had caught a swarm from one of my own colonies, but on checking, all of my boxes were still full - it didn't look like they'd lost half their populations, at least. So, I think this is a new catch, which will increase the diversity of my own apiary, and that's a good thing for the long-term health of the colonies. Over the last four seasons, I've now caught nine swarms, but this is by far the earliest. My previous earliest was May 18th in 2022, which was also a warm spring.