images of swarms caught in 2022

How To Handle Swarm Season

Three swarms last year You could write a book on the subject of ‘how to handle swarm season’, and several people have. In the one thousand or so words allotted to this blog post, I shall therefore have to miss…
Steve Donohoe with his son Alex

Swarm Prevention And Honey

The Mole and The Walrus After three days in a row of beekeeping, I found myself having a 'power nap'. It's hard work after a winter of inactivity. My son, the mole, has been my superstar assistant, which is remarkable…
a swarm of bees on a fence

Let’s Talk About Swarms

They can't possibly be my bees! I've written about swarming quite a bit in the past. I'm not sure how many people who read my stuff are beginners, but I'm going to assume it's not the majority. You probably all…
Demaree Method - diagram by Wally Shaw

Demaree

Demaree Method Many very experienced beekeepers in the UK advocate using the Demaree Method of swarm prevention for people with a small number of hives. George Demaree (1832–1915) from Kentucky first published his approach in an article in the American…
2013 Swarm hanging off branch

Swarm Predictor

2013 Swarm As I was thinking ahead to next spring and summer, and reflecting on seasons past, I decided to check my records to look at swarming. In the season just gone swarming kicked off much earlier than I'd seen…
The Kyles of Bute from Anchorage House

Science Vs. Experience

The Kyles of Bute I love science. I've even got a chemistry degree, but don't ask me about it because that was over thirty years ago. As soon as I left university, I went to the City to do accountancy.…
walrus and honeybees cartoon image

How to stop Swarming

Walrus and honeybees How to stop swarming? Answer: you can't! At least not completely. However, beekeepers have to try to stop their bees swarming. If you lose swarms, you will not make as much honey as you could do. You…
Assorted Bee Books

Swarm Control by the Experts

Bee Books At some point, some colonies will make swarm preparations, and if the beekeeper wishes to keep his or her bees, and hopefully the lovely honey they will make, he or she needs to do something about it pretty…
A swarm of honey bees

The Eternal Question

2013 Swarm How to prevent swarming? I previously wrote about some potential factors involved in the swarming of honey bees and why swarm prevention and control are so important for the beekeeper. The idea that we can prevent swarms is…