Guest contributor - Caroline Field, Laddingford and District Beekeepers
IT'S SWARM SEASON FOR BEEKEEPERS
In spring and early summer, the numbers of bees in our hives rises very quickly. If colonies start to feel cramped, they are likely to swarm. They will create a successor queen cell and the old queen and many of the bees will leave the hive, leaving the hive to the new queen.
The swarm will typically settle in a dense ball. Scout bees will set off in search of a new nest site and, any time from a couple of hours to a day or so, the bees will head off to their new home.
So what should you do if you see a swarm? You don’t have to do anything! Bees are not very aggressive when swarming and, if left to themselves, they will soon move off on their own accord. So you can just enjoy this amazing phenomenon.
However, your local beekeeper will thank you if you call them. And, if a swarm is in a public place, it’s best to collect it for the safety of both people and bees. If it is within reach, the beekeeper will collect it and deliver the colony to one of their empty hives. This is best for the bees too as the majority of swarms will fail to find a suitable new home on their own and will die out. If you don’t know a beekeeper, contact chair@laddingfordbeekeepers.co.uk. The process of collection is fascinating to watch from a safe distance.
We do get a lot of calls from people who think they have a swarm when in fact they have a lot of bees (or even wasps!) feeding on a plant! Swarming bees will be clustered in a very distinctive dense ball, usually in a tree or under an eave.
Don’t forget to look out for invading Asian hornets this summer - with a darker body and bright yellow legs. Take a photo, trap if safe to do so, and tell a beekeeper.