How to control swarms

Claire Waring looks at the principles and practice of swarm control

- Claire Waring

Swarming is a natural process for a bee colony but as beekeepers, I believe we should take steps to try to control this. There are two stages: prevention and control.

The first stage in prevention is to ensure colonies have sufficient space. Nectar is converted to honey by evaporating off water. Nectar occupies a larger volume than honey so bees need space to store it until it is 'processed'. Add another box (super) when the hive's top box is full of BEES. Don't wait until it is full of honey or the congestion caused could trigger swarm preparations.

Continue inspecting colonies every seven to nine days. A weekly inspection fits well with our human lifestyle and also gives some leeway if, for instance, the weather prevents the seven-day inspection. The devil of successful swarm control is in the detail. You must check regularly for swarm preparations. You must be able to see if there are eggs in cells. If necessary, use a torch, a magnifying glass, or bend down the cell walls to see inside. Eggs indicate the queen was present at least three days ago.

SWARM CONTROL IS EASY

'No, it's not,' I hear you say. 'It involves finding the queen, moving boxes around, opening and closing entrance slots in a Snelgrove Board and it's complicated.'

Take a deep breath, stop (have a cup of tea) and think.

Driving a car is complicated when you start but once you appreciate how it works, you don't give it a second thought. You just get in, turn the key and drive off. So, the secret to swarm control is to understand what is happening and what you are achieving at each step. When you are sure you have grasped the principles, choose a method. Learn how the steps fit together and when each one is taken. Importantly, make sure you have any necessary additional equipment, sufficient for each of your colonies. Write a checklist to record when you did what. Then you know what to do next and when.