Create An Artificial Swarm

Create An Artificial Swarm

Strangely, I find that visual diagrams which try to describe this technique confuse me more than a set of simple instructions. I’m going to make this as easy as possible, so that when I come to have to do this in practice I’ll stand more of a chance of the Queen being in the correct hive.

I also include a video of a beekeeper using a scale model to explain the process.

Hive A = the original hive, full of bees.  Hive B = a new hive, with foundation (and drawn comb if you have some) and no bees.

  1. Smoke Hive A
  2. Move Hive A and replace with Hive B
    1. Flying bees will now start entering Hive B
  3. Remove 2-3 frames from the centre of Hive B
  4. Open Hive A and find the Queen (take your time)
  5. Take the frame with the Queen and place it in Hive B
  6. Find 2-3 frames with sealed brood and bees and place in Hive B
  7. Cut out any Queen cells from Hive B
  8. Place the 2-3 frames of foundation in Hive A
  9. Leave any Queen cells in Hive A
  10. Feed if required

Hive A will raise a new Queen.

Hive B is most likely to create a surplus of honey in this year as there will have been a continuous laying Queen.  Hive B will need another Swarm Management technique applying next year if she is 2+ years old.

Photo below of an Emergency Queen Cell. These are built from eggs which are found in the middle of the frame.

Emergency Queen Cell (photo courtesy Adam Darling, BBKA website)
Emergency Queen Cell (photo courtesy Adam Darling, BBKA website)

Lets watch James Dearsley show us how it should be done with his scale model:

Further Reading

These how-to guides are provided for general interest and information only.  No liability is accepted for any injury or loss arising out of the contents of these pages.

5 thoughts on “Create An Artificial Swarm”

  1. In your comments after point 10, I think you have reversed hive A and B. Hive A will raise a new queen; hive B will retain all the flying bees and they should bring in some honey.

    (I agree with your comments about diagrams – which could be extended well beyond this topic!)

    More trivially, why put the new hive in place, let the bees enter it and then remove some combs (point 3)? Just start with only 8 or 9 frames in the new BB

    1. Hi David,
      Many thanks for your comments. I have now amended so it reads correctly.
      Re your latter point – my understanding is that you need to transfer frames with brood and stores into the new Brood Box (BB), hence removing frames and step 3.

  2. Hi, I’m a beginner beekeeper who took on a swarm colony last year from a local beekeeper who had too many bees to look after. Despite being robbed by wasps in the Autumn they survived the winter, and seem to be doing well. I kept them well fed and wrapped up warm (bubble wrap and gaffer tape around the hive).

    On 7 frames of brood when I checked yesterday. Hive is in Newcastle upon Tyne, so quite Northern!

    I’m hoping to split them this year so I’ve got 2 colonies to look after (or my original and a spare). Can I do a pre-emptive artificial swarm or do I have to wait until I see the queen cells? The local garden centre has kindly let me site the hive there but I’m a bit worried half my bees will fly off and settle in their café and we’ll be banished for bad behaviour.

    1. Congratulations. I will insulate my hive better this coming autumn/winter.
      Some would say – work with the bees and do an artificial swarm when they are ready, i.e. building a swarm cell. If the hive is bursting with bees and they cover all the brood frames you could do a split.
      As a beginner it’s a bit of a risk siting at the garden centre … but at least you will know pretty quickly that they have swarmed and then you will have an audience when you go and catch them. And/or you could train up a couple of the people there so they can catch a swarm if you are not around?

  3. Years later I know, i did AS week ago, 1 week on hive A had abandoned QC’s that I left and built 1 new with larvae ( uncapped). Hive B built 5 lovely QC even though they only had 2 frames brood and queen. Plenty of space. Thoughts?

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