This is a little article I wrote for our local newspaper about swarms. If anyone would like to use it or revise it please feel free. Carol HONEYBEE SWARMS 2/19/2024 Carol A. Horwitz, Beekeeper White Duck Farm, Ribera 575-421-0100 When I lived in the Midwest elm trees were called “trash” trees. They created problems with water pipes and were impossible to dig up or get rid of. Now that I am back in New Mexico, and a beekeeper, I love my elm trees. Why? They bloom in the late winter, early spring. And they flower!!! Those little red balls become flowers and my honeybees can’t get enough of the elm pollen. With new pollen the queen bee is told to step up the worker bee egg production which, 21 days later become our new crop of pollinators. This also means that the hives can get crowded, with all the new mouths to feed, which can lead to honeybee swarming. I know it can be disconcerting to see a big ball of honeybees hanging off your roof or peach tree, but fear not. A swarm of bees is at its most docile – no honey to protect. They are only looking for a nice new home. Scout bees search out possible locations for their new home – perhaps a hole in a tree or a loose board under your window or another unlikely place. All the scouts return to the swarm and dance about possible new homes and the colony together decides on which scout dance is the most attractive. They follow the scout and set up housekeeping in a new location. All this to say, don’t try to get rid of that swarm. They will move on quickly. Instead say a little prayer of thanks for the good work f our pollinators. Call me if you have questions on concerns at 575-421-0100 – Carol at White Duck Farm in Ribera. On 2025-04-09 15:33, katewhealen@earthlink.net wrote:
I’ve had three swarms reported by beekeepers of their own bees, one off Rodeo Rd/Jaguar area, one in south Capitol today, and one in the Pojoaque Valley yesterday. With the recent cold weather if the bees get cooped up for a while they often feel crowded and swarm once the warm weather returns. Be sure to keep eye on your colonies now that things are blooming. _______________________________________________ hive mailing list hive@lists.sdcbeeks.org http://lists.sdcbeeks.org/listinfo.cgi/hive-sdcbeeks.org