Swarm Season
Verhalten der Bienen
Between May and June a strong colony prepares its natural reproduction.
Between May and June a strong colony prepares its natural reproduction. It raises queen cells, and as soon as the first of them is capped, the old queen leaves with about half the bees, usually within the following days and on a fine morning. What remains is a colony with a replacement queen coming.
The signs are unmistakable once you know them: queen cells with eggs at comb edges and undersides, a suddenly declining laying pattern, bees hanging listlessly at the entrance, less flight activity despite the best nectar flow. Empty queen cups without an egg, on the other hand, are not yet swarm impulse and should be left alone; they are the best indicator.
That is why the nine-day rhythm applies during this period: anyone breaking queen cells must not let more than nine days pass between two inspections, with beginners advised to use seven days. Only this way does no cell mature unnoticed. Anyone who wants to guide the swarm impulse rather than just break it should form nucleus colonies in good time.