Swarm Control

Paul Kelly, research and apiary manager, instructs viewers on how to control and prevent swarms.

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We would like to thank Québec beekeepers Marie-Hélène Majeau and Susan Kennerknecht for translating our videos into French. We are very grateful for their help with this project. (To view translation, click on settings then subtitles)

Nous aimerions remercier deux apicultrices du Québec, Marie-Hélène Majeau et Susan Kennerknecht pour la traduction de ces vidéos en français. Nous leur en sommes très reconnaissants. (Pour accéder à la traduction française, sélectionnez paramètres et ensuite sous-titres)

[fetahmehinovic]

I am from Bosnia and I am a beekeeper thank you for thise videos, finally there is some one with pure knowledge who wants to shere we us ordinary beekeepers thank you so much !!!God bless You !!!!

[hyenen]

This is the best YouTube channel for new beekeepers i have found. Very informative an easy explaining. Thank you!

[Makermook]

Thank you for these videos. I'm a first year, one hive beekeeper, so I don't even know what I don't know! I learn something every time I get on YouTube.

[CharlesCarlsonC]

These are so good. I'm a new beekeeper, and they really supplement other information sources. I'm so glad you folks put these together and made the available. Thanks!

[jeffreyrumpf]

These videos are great! Very helpful. Thank you for all the time and effort that you put into these videos.

[jimmypark]

This guy is a master beekeeper. Very informative and well experienced in the art of apiary.

[viscache]

For us Bee-ginner ‘Apiarists’ this is the BEST kind of video! We need to know the terms and the concepts and bee beehavior. Thanks for sharing your EXPREIENCE! There are lots of people on YouTube that have ‘knowledge’ but you really opened my eyes to the kinds of things to look for in my early period of beekeeping. The idea of having extra ‘supers’ on hand. I also decided to use the hive manufacturer’s measurements and design and make lots of extra bases, separators and tops for future expansion. The one thing that makes me crazy is that you sit there without any protection from the bees! I have a deadly allergy to wasp stings….a mild reaction to bee stings…so the beekeeping suit is the one thing I REALLY splurged on! I’m hoping to start with two hives of two supers each my first year and add one super and double the number of hives every year up to thirty. I’m a sheep herder who is getting older. So as I get older and less able to handle sheep I will sell that operation and expand my beekeeping operation. It’s work and I LOVE to work! And it’s something I can keep learning for the rest of my days.

[waveryder]

Just stumbled across your videos and wanted to thank you for the informative and well-shot lessons. As a beginner beekeeper, I really appreciate all that you and your crew have done! Keep up the good work.

[finnsbiavl]

Hi from Denmark
I enjoy your videos ... very instructive.
Anyway Im not sure about this kind of swarm control. According to my experience, it is impossible to control the swarming tendense IF the queen is slim and out off laying eggs. It is too late and they will swarm anyway. The clipped wing will result in the queens crash to the ground where she will die. The bees will fly back home, BUT if you have destroyed all cells, they will be queenless. Dont do that.
What do I do? I split the hive take the queen plus 3-5 frames and a lot of bees into a nuc and bring it to another place. The rest of the family think the swarm has gone without them and will nurse a new queen. If you want, it is possible to reunite the two hives again.
Thank again
Finn

[davidmcgregor]

This is one on the best video's I've seen on the topic. Thank you very much for this information.

[crazycoyote]

Thanks for a clear, straight to the point video.
I just learned a few good points that I didn’t know about.
Be blessed.

[jayanddenissejones]

Thanks Paul! I went back and pulled out this video to review as I'm getting ready for Swarm Season here in Western Kentucky. Thank you for all the excellent information and knowledge you've passed on!

[charitablemiraclebeekeeper]

For the new beekeepers out there, you could have done everything he did with the cells and cups but instead of adding several supers, you could have made serveral splits from those hives given the time of year it is and the circumstances.

[joeSaysThings]

6:18 - doing this in shorts gives me major anxiety. I have a hive that needs to be re-queened, because the bees are a bin ornery when I get close. The idea of doing any of this without a full suit is increadible to me...

[Insubordinate]

I rewatch a lot of your videos every year just to remind me the proper way to take care of my girls

[mmnasyrov]

learned a lot from you! I am a surgeon by profession, my hobby is bees.Thank you. I'm from Republic Tatarstan !

[stephenmcguire]

Awesome!
Many U-tube videos say look at the eggs or look at the larva, but you cannot see them. Your close-ups show fantastic views of eggs and larva. I have yet to see eggs in my own hives because of my poor eye sight. If i keep seeing covered brood I figure the queen is still laying.
Great information and videos
Thank-you

[BlaineNay]

My rule of thumb is to add a supper when there are 3 or fewer empty frames. I also find that having a frame of new foundation among those 3 empty frames helps  eliminating swarming. This helps because wax-producing workers have a place to put their wax.My number one reason for avoiding swarming is it's not right to have several thousand of my bees move into the wall or soffit of a neighbor's home.

[paulawaldrep]

I am new at beekeeping in South Texas. Thanks for all the great explanations!!

[nunya___]

Not planning to keep bee but find your videos fascinating. Thank you for sharing. 💖🐝