Swarm Collection Good Practice Guide

Introduction

The NBU stresses that swarms of unknown origin can carry disease or pests.

• Swarms should be treated as potentially infected until proven otherwise.
• Newly collected swarms should be kept separate from existing colonies.
• Ideally place them in a quarantine or isolation apiary.

This reduces the risk of spreading diseases such as:

• American Foulbrood
• European Foulbrood
• Tropilaelaps mites
• Small Hive Beetle

If any of these are suspected, the beekeeper must contact the NBU or a Bee Inspector immediately.

Good practice after hiving a swarm:

• Place on new frames and foundation.
• Quarantine the colony for at least one brood cycle.
• Inspect for disease and parasites (e.g., varroa).
• Confirm the colony is queen-right and laying before moving or passing on.

Collecting swarms

• Swarms of unknown origin should be hived in a separate or isolation apiary to enable disease and quality checks to be completed before introduction into established apiaries.
• Hived swarms should be assessed after six weeks and if any colonies show signs of foulbrood disease, the NBU should be contacted immediately. Any colonies showing undesirable traits, e.g. defensive behaviour, excessive swarming tendencies, chalk brood, etc., can be re-queened from a different stock. Once they are confirmed to be disease-free, they can be moved to another apiary.
• In a statutorily notifiable disease or pest is suspected (American foulbrood, European foulbrood, Tropilaelaps mites or small hive beetle) in a nucleus, package, swarm or colony of bees, it is a legal requirement that you contact us or your local Bee Inspector immediately.