A honey bee swarm is a natural reproductive event where the original colony splits, and the old queen leaves with roughly half of the worker bees to establish a new home. When bees swarm, they are generally docile because they have gorged themselves on honey before leaving the original hive. Since they have no comb or brood to protect, the risk of stinging is low. Collecting a swarm requires careful preparation and adherence to safe steps.
Essential Safety Gear and Equipment
Protecting yourself is the first step in any successful swarm collection. A full beekeeper’s veil is the minimum requirement to guard the face and neck. For more comprehensive protection, a light-colored, full bee suit or a beekeeper’s jacket and gloves should be worn. The loose fit of the suit helps prevent stings from reaching the skin.
The necessary collection tools include a temporary container, such as a ventilated cardboard box or a dedicated nucleus box (nuc box). A soft brush or feather is needed to gently guide any straggler bees into the box without injuring them. A spray bottle filled with plain water should also be prepared, which can be lightly misted over the bees to calm them and discourage flight.
Evaluating the Swarm Site
Before approaching the cluster, assess the swarm’s location and status to plan the capture. Confirm that the insects are honey bees and not a defensive established colony or another species. The accessibility of the swarm is a primary concern, as collecting bees from a dangerous height is never advisable.
The ideal time for collection is near dusk, ensuring all foraging worker bees have returned to the cluster. Identify the cluster point, where the majority of the bees are tightly clumped, usually hanging from a branch. This cluster point is where the queen is located. A white sheet or drop cloth spread beneath the swarm aids in spotting any bees that fall during the transfer.
Techniques for Capturing the Swarm
The goal of capture is to get the queen and the largest possible number of attendant workers into the temporary box. For swarms clustered on a manageable tree branch, the shake method is the most direct approach. This involves placing the open box directly beneath the cluster and giving the branch a single, sharp shake, causing the entire mass of bees to drop into the container.
For swarms on a surface too thick to shake, or in an awkward location, the scoop method is used. This method utilizes a soft brush to gently sweep the bees toward the container entrance. If the swarm is on a small, accessible branch, you can use pruning shears to cut the branch and lay it inside the box.
Once the majority of the bees are inside, the presence of the queen is usually confirmed when the remaining bees on the original site begin to walk toward the new container. The small number of bees left outside will eventually be drawn into the box by the pheromones of the queen and their nestmates. If the bees are agitated, a light mist of water can be applied to their wings to inhibit flight and keep the cluster together. The temporary box should be positioned so the bees can easily crawl up into it, as they naturally prefer to walk upward when seeking shelter.
Moving the Swarm to a Permanent Home
Once the bees are settled inside the temporary box, wait until after dark to ensure all field bees have returned. The box’s entrance must be securely closed, ensuring adequate ventilation to prevent overheating during transport. Secure the box safely in a vehicle, ideally in a cool location, for transport to its final destination.
At the new location, the captured swarm should be introduced into a prepared permanent hive, such as a standard Langstroth box with frames. This is often done by shaking the entire contents of the temporary box directly onto the frames or onto an entrance ramp leading into the hive. Providing the bees with a frame of drawn comb or open brood from another hive helps anchor them to the new location, making it less likely they will abscond.