Here in Michigan it is currently the time of the year that honeybees swarm. If you see a swarm of bees clustered on a shrub or tree in your lawn, do not get your RAID can out! Instead, give us a call and we will come and remove the swarm for you.
Swarming is the natural means of reproduction of honey bee colonies. A new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves the colony with a large group of worker bees, a process called swarming. In the prime swarm, about 60% of the worker bees leave the original hive location with the old queen. This swarm can contain thousands to tens of thousands of bees. Swarming is mainly a spring phenomenon, usually within a two- or three-week period depending on the locale, but occasional swarms can happen throughout the producing season.
Secondary afterswarms may happen but are rare. Afterswarms are usually smaller and are accompanied by one or more virgin queens. Sometimes a beehive will swarm in succession until it is almost totally depleted of workers.
Entomologists consider the colony as a superorganism. An individual bee without a colony cannot survive for long. The colony also needs a certain colony size to reproduce. In the process of swarming the original single colony reproduces to two and sometimes more colonies.
Some things you should know about a swarm
- This is the time when the bees are most docile. They are full of honey and are busy looking for another home.
- Don’t be alarmed! They will not attack.
- If you have seen them come in and land you have to be amazed.
- They have sent out scouts and they are looking for a new home
- This is the intermediate step between them leaving the hive and finding a new home.
- This is how bees reproduce they split or swarm and usually take the old queen with them.
If you have this call me as soon as possible and I’ll come get them. FOR FREE!! Call me at 734-748-2185.