So, what is a swarm?
The swarm we are talking about is a Honey Bee swarm. The region for this topic is NW Minnesota, so in other regions the months will vary. The months of May and June are the typical months for a swarm to appear, but could happen anytime between May and late September.
What is a Swarm? It is the natural division colony of Honey bees. Most often caused by over population. About half the colony and the current (old) queen will depart.
Before the swarm day? About 16 days or so before the big (swarm) day, the old queen will lay a few eggs in specially created queen cells. The workers, in turn, will feed these specially laid eggs an important food called Royal Jelly. This jelly is what creates the new queens versus a worker bee. It takes about 16 days from egg to the emerging of new queen to appear outside of her cell.
The big day! A few days prior to the new queen(s) emerging from their cells, the old queen and about half the colony will depart to find a new home. This is the part that, if noticed at all, will be seen.
Is a Swarm dangerous? No! The swarm consists of the old queen and workers that have no home or resources (food) to defend, so they are fairly docile. The only food they have is what they gorged on prior to leaving. That said, you don't want to be poking them. Just stay calm and let us know.
What does a swam look like? A mass of bees clinging most often on a tree's branch but could also be a mailbox or a car's bumper. See attached photos.
What to do if you see a swarm? First, don't panic! Just stay calm and give them space. You can contact us and we will investigate. Do take photos of the swarm. We'll ask to see the photo before coming out. You can also contact the local police or fire department for assistance.
Also, there is a nationwide swarm reporting website called Swarmed. You can report the swarm and they will in turn inform beekeepers in the local area of the swarm. Here again photos are needed.
Swarmed can be reached at beeswarmed.org
Add comment
Comments