What does it mean when a hive swarms? Are they dangerous when they swarm?
Swarming behavior of a hive is fascinating!
A hive will often decide to swarm because their current living quarters are becoming too small. Swarms are considered natural reproduction of the hive and give the remaining bees more room. The worker bees decide in advance (sometimes months in advance) and begin preparations. The first thing they have to do is to get the Queen to lose weight so she can fly as the swarm will take the queen with them when they leave the parent hive. To get the queen to loose weight, every worker bee that comes in contact with the queen gives her a quick shake.
Then on a warm still spring day, usually around 10-ish in the morning a large gathering ( about 60% of the total bee population) accumulates outside of the hive. Hanging out in a large mass generally on the hive itself waiting for the "time to go". When it is "time to go" all the bees hanging out on the hive, with their queen fly about 100 feet away from their parent hive and gather into a cluster like the picture above shows. It is an amazing site with thousands of bees in the air. It can be frightening too, but there is nothing to be afraid.
This brings me to the answer to the second question. Are swarms dangerous? No they are not. Remember when I mentioned preparations the worker bees must make before they can swarm? Another preparation that must be made is carrying enough food to their new home. Each worker bee that is leaving the hive engorges herself on honey so they will have food. They engorge themselves so much it is like Thanksgiving Day meal and they couldn't sting you if they wanted to because their tummies are too full to sting. Besides, they have no home to protect at this point and are looking for a new home. A European honey bee swarm is very harmless and they will find a new home quickly.
Enjoy the sight if you see a swarm and know that another strong hive of bees just reproduced!
Swarming Season is About to Begin!
