Swarm Swarm Management: Are Management: Are You Winning The You Winning The Battle?Battle?

Clarence H. CollisonClarence H. CollisonEntomologistEntomologistMississippi State Mississippi State UniversityUniversity

Natural Instinctive Desire To Increase Their Numbers

Asexual Reproduction At The Colony Level

Twice The Chance Of Twice The Chance Of SurvivalSurvival

Form Of Population Form Of Population ControlControl

Swarming ResponseSwarming Response

Related To Many Related To Many Internal And Internal And External ConditionsExternal Conditions

Level Of Queen Level Of Queen Substance Is LowSubstance Is Low

Not Efficiently Not Efficiently Distributed In The Distributed In The ColonyColony

Queen CupQueen Cell

Generally An Older Generally An Older Queen Produces Less Queen Produces Less Queen Substance Queen Substance Than A Younger Than A Younger QueenQueen

CongestionCongestion Primary Factor That Primary Factor That

Initiates SwarmingInitiates Swarming Interferes With Queen Interferes With Queen

Substance DistributionSubstance Distribution Stimulates Queen Cup Stimulates Queen Cup

BuildingBuilding

Queen AgeQueen Age Colonies With A Queen Of The Colonies With A Queen Of The

Current Season Rarely SwarmCurrent Season Rarely Swarm By The Second Season, The Chance By The Second Season, The Chance

Of Swarming Greatly IncreasesOf Swarming Greatly Increases Colonies Headed By A Two Year Colonies Headed By A Two Year

Old Queen Swarm More Than Old Queen Swarm More Than Twice As Much As Colonies With A Twice As Much As Colonies With A One-Year Old QueenOne-Year Old Queen

When Colonies Are When Colonies Are Strong And Are Strong And Are Developing Rapidly, A Developing Rapidly, A Period Of Good Period Of Good Weather After Some Weather After Some Bad Weather Bad Weather Accentuates The Accentuates The “Swarming Fever.”“Swarming Fever.”

Other Factors that Other Factors that May Affect SwarmingMay Affect Swarming Imbalance In The Age Imbalance In The Age

Structure Of The Colony, i.e. Structure Of The Colony, i.e. Too Many Nurse BeesToo Many Nurse Bees

Too Little Laying Space For Too Little Laying Space For The QueenThe Queen

Too Many DronesToo Many Drones Poor VentilationPoor Ventilation

When Does When Does Swarming Occur?Swarming Occur?

Kentucky- Mid April To Mid May (Peak)Kentucky- Mid April To Mid May (Peak)1 March to 1 June1 March to 1 June

Ithaca, NY (6 Year Study)Ithaca, NY (6 Year Study)Starts May 15Starts May 15Peaks June 5-10Peaks June 5-10By July 15, 80% DoneBy July 15, 80% DoneJuly 15-August 15, Almost No SwarmingJuly 15-August 15, Almost No SwarmingAugust 15-September 15, 20%August 15-September 15, 20%

Maryland- Swarming Begins One Month Maryland- Swarming Begins One Month EarlierEarlier

Fall Swarming- A Real Fall Swarming- A Real MysteryMystery

In The North They Will Not In The North They Will Not SurviveSurvive

Is It An Accident?Is It An Accident?

May Be A Way Of Getting Rid May Be A Way Of Getting Rid Of Excess PopulationsOf Excess Populations

Routine Of Instinctive Routine Of Instinctive ActivitiesActivities

4-6 Weeks Of Preparation Before 4-6 Weeks Of Preparation Before It OccursIt Occurs

Construction Of Queen Cups (First Construction Of Queen Cups (First Clue)Clue)

Made Of Old Beeswax (Brown)Made Of Old Beeswax (Brown) Whiting Of Queen Cups (New Wax Whiting Of Queen Cups (New Wax

Added)Added) Cups Slightly EnlargedCups Slightly Enlarged Eggs Laid In CupsEggs Laid In Cups

Queen Is Put On A DietEfficiency Of Colony Begins To Decline

Looses 1/3 –1/2 Her Looses 1/3 –1/2 Her Body Weight In 8-10 Body Weight In 8-10 DaysDays

Slims Down So She Slims Down So She Can FlyCan Fly

Queen Decreases Her Egg Laying

Some Workers Begin Some Workers Begin To Engorge On HoneyTo Engorge On Honey

Causes A Large Number Causes A Large Number Of Wax Glands To Of Wax Glands To Develop So Comb Develop So Comb Construction Can Begin Construction Can Begin Immediately After Immediately After SwarmingSwarming

EngorgementEngorgement Discourages Foraging (Poor Discourages Foraging (Poor

Colony Morale)Colony Morale) Forces Scout Bees To Stop Forces Scout Bees To Stop

Scouting For Food And Start Scouting For Food And Start Looking For A New Home SiteLooking For A New Home Site

Encourages CongestionEncourages Congestion Foraging StopsForaging Stops

Too Late !!

One Last Chance

DecisionTime

Happings Back At The Happings Back At The HiveHive Have Several Queen CellsHave Several Queen Cells Queen Emerges, May Kill Some Of Queen Emerges, May Kill Some Of

ThemThem Secondary Swarms May Leave Secondary Swarms May Leave

With A New QueenWith A New Queen Queen Flies With The AfterswarmQueen Flies With The Afterswarm Tend To Stay Clustered LongerTend To Stay Clustered Longer May Swarm Until Only A Handful May Swarm Until Only A Handful

Of Bees Are LeftOf Bees Are Left

Attempt To Make Attempt To Make All Colonies All Colonies ProductiveProductive

Moving Sealed Moving Sealed BroodBrood

Switch Colony Switch Colony PositionsPositions

Booster PackagesBooster Packages

Uniting Weak Uniting Weak ColoniesColonies

QueenQueenNurse BeesNurse BeesField BeesField Bees

Make Make Increases/SplitsIncreases/Splits