A beehive is a complex, organized society of honey bees, more than a place for honey production. These intricate structures form through a specific, natural process that ensures the continuation and expansion of bee populations. Understanding how a new beehive begins offers insight into the social behaviors and survival strategies of honey bees.
The Swarming Phenomenon
Swarming is the primary way new beehives start, involving the division of an existing, thriving colony. This natural behavior occurs when a hive becomes overcrowded, lacks space, or when the queen bee’s pheromone production wanes. These conditions signal worker bees to seek a new home, allowing both the original hive and the departing group to flourish.
Before the swarm departs, the original colony prepares. Worker bees construct specialized, larger cells, known as queen cells, for the old queen to lay eggs. The existing queen reduces her egg-laying rate, causing her abdomen to shrink and making her lighter for flight. The old queen and about half the worker bees exit the hive simultaneously. This large cluster settles temporarily on a nearby object, such as a tree branch or fence, forming a dense mass while scout bees search for a permanent home.
Scouting for a New Home
Once the swarm forms its temporary cluster, scout bees search for a permanent nesting site. These older, experienced foragers navigate the environment. They fly from the temporary cluster, exploring potential locations for the colony.
Scout bees are selective, evaluating characteristics of prospective sites. They look for sheltered areas like hollow trees, rock crevices, or other enclosed cavities for protection. Ideal locations often feature a small entrance (under 20 square centimeters), preferably facing south, and are at least 5 meters above ground. The internal cavity size is also important, with preferred spaces ranging from 30 to 50 liters in volume.
Upon finding a potential site, scout bees return to the temporary cluster to communicate their findings. This communication occurs through the “waggle dance.” The dance’s direction indicates the new site’s direction relative to the sun, and its duration conveys distance. The dance also signals the quality of the discovery, influencing other scout bees to investigate. Through this collective process, multiple scouts may propose different locations, and the swarm ultimately reaches a consensus on the best available site.
Building the New Colony
Once the swarm decides on a new location, the group flies to their permanent home. Upon arrival, worker bees immediately begin producing beeswax and constructing honeycombs. Young worker bees (10 to 18 days old) are responsible, secreting wax flakes from specialized glands on their abdomens. Beeswax production is energy-intensive, requiring bees to consume approximately 8 kilograms of honey to produce 1 kilogram of wax.
Bees chew and soften the secreted wax flakes, molding them into distinctive hexagonal honeycomb cells. This shape allows for efficient use of space and materials while providing significant structural integrity. These combs serve multiple purposes within the nascent colony: storing honey and pollen, and as a nursery for the queen to lay eggs.
With combs in place, the new queen bee begins her egg-laying cycle, raising the next generation. This initial brood rearing establishes the new, self-sustaining colony. Continuous comb construction and nurturing of new bees ensure the hive’s growth and long-term viability.