Bee Keeping - Swarming

Swarming is the natural method of obtaining increase, and usually occurs during the latter part of May or in June when the colony has become populous and the bees are actively engaged in breeding and gathering honey. Usually about 10 o'clock, or between 10 and 2, on a bright, warm day, the greater portion of the workers not engaged in gathering stores, having their honey sacks filled with honey, rush from the hive as though a ghost were after them. After Eying about for a short time, the swarm usually lights on some convenient tree or bush. During an experience of twenty years I have known but one swarm to leave for parts unknown without first lighting.

To prevent constant watching and anxiety in swarming time, I clip off two-thirds or more of one of the wings of the queen as soon as she commences to deposit eggs.

A swarm will not "run away " unless a queen accompanies it, and she can not go if one of her wings is nearly gone. Be sure and remove enough of the wing, or the queen will still be able to fly, although it will be apt to be quite slowly, if too little has been taken off.

A swarm may light without a queen being with it, the same as if the queen accompanied it, but it will finally return to its old home.

If two or more swarms issue at the same time they are very apt to light together, if they light at all. When they miss their queens and return they are pretty sure to divide up and go to their own hives.