Control of Swarming in Honey Bees

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 89, Issue 4, 15 October 1954, Page 385

Control of Swarming in Honey Bees

Seasonal Notes for the Domestic Beekeeper

DY the middle of spring most normal, healthy colonies of bees will have greatly increased in strength and the impulse to swarm will be becoming manifest. Swarming is the natural method of propagation of honey bee colonies as distinct from the reproduction of the individual, and though much time and study has been devoted to this phenomenon, an efficient, absolute method of control has yet to be devised. In this article D. Roberts, Apiary Instructor, Department of Agriculture, Auckland, describes some methods which will assist to keep swarming to a minimum.

IN earlier times beekeepers gauged the success or otherwise of their efforts by the number of swarms their colonies produced in a season. The more swarms there were the happier the beekeeper was. Today successful beekeepers recognise that the casting of a swarm before or during a honey flow very seriously affects a colony’s production of honey and they direct their hive management to control swarming as far as is possible without undue disturbance of colony routine. By the middle of this month all colonies should have been thoroughly checked over for brood disease and the condition and vigour of the queen. Factors to Control Swarming Healthy colonies with vigorous queens will now have up to 10 or more frames of brood and very heavy inroads will have been made on their stores of honey and pollen. As long as sufficient food is available brood rearing will continue. At this time it will be found that the bees are also rearing quantities of drones. This is an indication that they are preparing to give way to the natural impulse to propagate the species and at this point swarm control must be started if it is to be at all effective. The main factors in swarm control are: — 1. The provision of young, vigorous queens of good strain. 2. Good brood combs which must be free of drone comb.

3. Ample room for expansion and storage of honey and pollen. 4. Good ventilation. Observation of these points and a few simple manipulations will tend to reduce swarming in most colonies and ensure a satisfactory honey crop. Introducing a New Queen Colonies with an old queen whose egg-laying ability is declining will tend to swarm much more readily than those having young queens at the peak of their egg production. At this period of colony build up the egg-laying powers of a queen are taxed to the utmost, and because older queens are unable to meet requirements, the bees quickly become eager to replace them and begin to raise queen cells. Introduction of a young laying queen at this time will stimulate colony morale and assist greatly toward attainment of that strong force of bees so necessary for the collection of nectar when the main honey flow begins. Introduction of a new queen should, of course, always be preceded by the removal of the old queen. This should be accomplished with as little disturbance as possible and the new queen should not be introduced until the colony has quietened down some hours later. Acceptance of the new queen will be more likely if there is some nectar being gathered at the

time. If there is a dearth of nectar at the time of introduction, artificial feeding will help to ensure acceptance. Queens supplied by commercial’ breeders will usually be forwarded in cages suitable for introduction and accompanied by printed instructions. The introduction of a new young queen will not be of much value if the brood combs of the hive are old, distorted, and full of drone comb. For the best results brood combs should be well constructed and consist of all worker cells built right out to the top and bottom bars and the ends. Brood combs should be carefully examined each spring and any with more than a few drone cells culled out. Ample Worker Comb Essential The provision of an ample amount of good worker brood comb to allow unrestricted laying space for the queen is essential to swarm control. If a new queen is introduced to a colony where sufficient worker brood space is unavailable because of damaged, faulty combs with excessive amount of drone cells, the whole advantage of the introduction will be lost and the colony will very likely swarm. The work of culling and replacing faulty, worn-out combs is amply repaid by better swarm control, ease of manipulation, and improved honey crops. With the rapid expansion of the colony much more room for brood rearing and honey and pollen storage will be required. Colonies that have been wintered in a single box should now be given a second super of drawn combs. If the single box is packed with brood and bees, it will most likely be found that the side combs are full of honey and pollen. These should be lifted into the second box, where they can be again placed to the sides and their position in the brood chamber filled by good empty drawn combs. Congestion Must be Avoided

Bees will not tolerate congestion of the brood nest, as this throws the colony population out of balance and queen cells are soon started in preparation for swarming. The brood nest should be kept as free as possible from any condition which will lead to congestion. Ample comb space is essen-

tial and if drawn combs are not available, frames fitted with full sheets of worker comb foundation should be given. If foundation only is available, two frames containing honey and pollen should be taken from the lower box and again placed one on each outside edge of the top box. The space thus left in the brood nest is filled with frames of foundation which are not put on the extreme outside but are placed one away from the edge. Though sufficient room for expansion and storage must be given, too much space is a disadvantage and over-supering should be avoided. The aim is to provide the bees with sufficient space in advance of their requirements without making it difficult for the bees to maintain correct hive temperature. In some northern areas there may be a considerable flow of nectar from manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) during this period. In such cases foundation will be readily drawn out and rapidly filled. If a flow begins, a close watch should be kept and an additional super given when it is found that white wax is being built on the upper part of combs in the top super. Ventilation Requirements Good ventilation is necessary at all times, but more particularly when the colony is expanding rapidly. If the bottom board is of the reversible type generally in use today, it should be turned so that the deepest entrance is used. If the board is not reversible, a full-width entrance not less than fin. deep should be provided. All growth of grass and weeds should be cleared from the front and sides of the hive and care taken to see that there is no accumulation of dirt and rubbish on the bottom board which might obstruct the flow of air. If hive mats are used under the lids, they should be examined and, if damp, replaced with dry ones. If dampness is found, the lid should be checked to see if it is leaking and, if so, made waterproof. If dampness of the hive mat persists in spite of waterproof lids, the mat should be discarded or so shortened that there is a free flow of air over the ends. This will help by allowing moisture-laden air to pass up past the mat and escape under the lid. The situation of the hive may have an important bearing on the development of the swarming impulse. If it

is too sheltered, overheating can quickly occur on warm days. This can often be recognised from the cluster of bees which will form at the outside of the hive. Should this occur repeatedly, a cooler site should be sought. If one is not available, additional ventilation can be given by raising the lower hive body on lin. blocks placed under each corner between the bottom board and the hive body. The site of the hive is an important factor in colony welfare generally, and though too* much shelter is a serious disadvantage, draughts and dampness must also be avoided. Hives should not be placed under open hedges or rows of trees where cool draughts are likely to prevail. Management of Hives Apart from the natural urge to propagate, many other factors such as the age of the queen, ventilation, overcrowding, and weather conditions resulting in interference with, or cessation of, nectar flows influence the development of the swarming impulse. The beekeeper can by good management mitigate the effects of most of these factors, but a period of unfavourable weather may result in widespread swarming despite the beekeeper’s best endeavours. Other than the provision of young, vigorous queens of good strain, good combs, ample brood space, and ventilation,

there are no set rules to control swarming: Beekeepers with only a few hives should be able to examine the brood chambers every 8 to 10 days until the beginning of the main honey flow to see if the bees have started raising queen cells. When cells are found they should be destroyed, preferably by crushing them with a hive tool. If the cells are found before the eggs in them have hatched, there is a good chance that their destruction will cause the colony to abandon the idea of swarming, provided brood space and ventilation are adequate. Should the eggs have hatched and the larvae been supplied with royal jelly, it is unlikely that the bees will desist and further cells will be continually constructed. The removal of two frames of unsealed brood from the brood nest to the super above will draw a considerable number of young bees from the brood chamber, thus relieving congestion there. This action sometimes is sufficient to control the swarming impulse. The spaces left should be filled with two good empty brood combs. If the colony is of exceptional strength, the removal of sufficient bees and brood to establish a nucleus colony can be safely done and this will often be sufficient to check swarming. If the nucleus colony is not required for expansion, it can be united to the parent hive when the honey flow has begun. For best results the nucleus should be taken before cells are actually constructed. Where two brood chambers are in use it will generally be found that the queen lays mostly in the upper one. If the position of the chamber is reversed every fortnight in the swarming period by placing the upper chamber at the bottom, the extra comb space is immediately available to the queen. As the mature brood hatches in the lower chamber room becomes constantly available, so that when the boxes are again reversed in 2 weeks the queen is supplied with further laying space. This method is often of considerable assistance, but it should not be applied unless the colony has ample honey and pollen. Because at this period there, is often a dearth of nectar, a close watch must be kept for signs of robbing. All work should still be carried out as quickly as possible and honey should not be exposed more than is necessary.