Swarming, Nutrition & Splits Extension/Research Apiculturist Department Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology & Plant Pathology Mississippi State University, MS Jeff Harris Mississippi Agricultural & Forestry Experiment Station
Types of Swarming Reproductive swarms (primary) Afterswarms (secondary) Absconding swarms
Reproductive Swarms Seasonal – most active months are May and June Usually the swarm consists of old queen and about 60% of the original nest bees Most workers in this type of swarm are very young (ca days old)
Reproductive Swarms Left at the old nest site are between queen cells About 40% of the original nest bees Usually these bees are old bees, many of which are foragers
The function of primary swarms is reproduction by colony fission
Not All Primary Swarms Survive Only 8-25% of primary swarms survived through the first season (cold climates) 45-78% of those swarms that survived the first season continue to survive for about 5 years
Afterswarms Fairly uncommon, but in our area 1-2 afterswarms might issue from a colony per year Afterswarms usually contain a virgin queen, or recently mated queen Many queens can occur in an afterswarm Afterswarms are smaller than primary swarms and do not survive through a season in temperate climates
Absconding Swarms Also called migration When nest site has become intolerable: 1. Chronically low abundance of food 2. Disease conditions 3. Insecticide poisoning
Events of Swarming Rapid growth in amount of worker brood Crowding of the colony Queen cup construction Queen cell construction (10-15 days prior) Good weather Engorgement of Honey Exodus
Causes of Swarming Dilution of queen pheromone Lack of space for queen to lay eggs Abundance of resources Genetic strain of bees Age of queen Environmental conditions
Pre-Swarm Conditions
Colony Growth
Crowded with Good Nutrition
Timing of Swarming New York: May-June, peaks in June Pennsylvania: May-June, peaks in late May Arkansas: April-May, peaks in early May Louisiana: March-May, peaks in April
Colony Growth
Number of Drones Reared
Many Queen Cups weeks from swarming
Getting Ready to Swarm Many queen cupsgo time, swarming in weeks Eggs in cupswill swarm in 8-10 days Capped cellsany moment Broodnest Time until Swarming
Swarm Cells located on bottom of combs (easily seen by tilting back brood boxes)
Emergency Queen Cells located anywhere, and they are usually shorter than swarm cells
While In Flight Worker and queen pheromones hold the mass of bees together Appears wildly chaotic, but calms quickly on landing Bees assemble on a structure (bush, tree or building) within a few hundred yards of original nest site
Finding the New Home 1. Scouts search out cavities 2. Scouts communicate cavity information using dances 3. Colony-wide debate 4. A choice is made (all dances are the same) 5. Chaotic exodus (again) 6. Land at new site
Back at the Old Nest Site… Virgin queens emerge from cells Multiple virgins tolerate each other only for a brief period Queens do fight to the death on occasion, but workers often “ball” unwanted queens Virgin queens participate in afterswarms
Queen cells being chewed down after a virgin queen has emerged
It Already Swarmed! Open brood is presentrecent, 0-4 days Sealed but no open broodmore than 4-5 days No brood but there swarmed > 3 weeks, are remains of queen cellsnew queen not laying yet Multiple eggs in cells> 28 days ago, new queen failed, laying workers Broodnest Likely time of Swarm
Preventing Swarming 1. Reversing hive bodies 2. Adding supers 3. Splits / nucs / increases 4. Shake nurse bees in front of weaker colony 5. Checker boarding
Reversing Hive Bodies
Checker boarding
Timing of Splits or Nucs 1. Wrong time – waste of time, bees and money 2. Best time – mid-spring but before major honey flow 3. Good sign – 1 st drone flights and swarm season beginning 4. MUST have adequate food in all units that are budded or split from a hive General Rule: Earlier and Stronger Spilts Ensure Greater Success or Survival of Splits or Nucs
Timing of Splits or Nucs 1. Earliest good pollen maples in Jan. 2. Begin feeding 50:50 syrup in Feb. – March 3. Add protein supplement if pollen becomes intermittent (start end of Jan. – March) 4. Must be prepared to split in March – April to avoid swarming
Feeding Sucrose 33% Syrup: trickle; stimulates brood rearing 4.2 lbs. sucrose + 1 gallon water (makes 1.2 gallons syrup) 50% Syrup: spring feeding 8.3 lbs. sucrose + 1 gallon water (makes 1.6 gallons syrup) Thick Syrup (67%): autumn feeding 16.6 lbs. sucrose + 1 gallon water (makes 2.3 gallons syrup)
Feeding Colonies Feeding Colonies (division board)
Bee Bread Pollen + Microflora
Commercial Protein Supplements Global Patties MegaBee BeePro Bee-Pol Feed-Bee
Protein Supplements Place patties close to broodnest Feed a light syrup at the same time; helps stimulate brood rearing Be careful in cooler periods!
Measures of Quality Increased brood production; colony growth Increased worker longevity Increased blood vitellogenin Boost in immune functions (e.g. pro- phenol oxidase)
Timing of Splits or Nucs 1. The best colony size for splits is 2-3 deeps full of bees and brood 2. Splitting can be governed by availability of QUEENS 3. Bees will respond best to feeding during the natural period of spring build-up
How much to Feed gallons of sugar syrup during 3-4 weeks prior to splitting 2. One third pollen patty every 2-4 days for the same period of time 3. Add empty combs to avoid becoming honey bound – delicate balance between growing and crowding!