When a hive swarms, the old queen and about half the bees leave, weakening the colony. You can usually spot it coming by checking for overcrowding, swarm cells, or a beard of bees hanging on the front. Prevention is key—adding space or splitting the hive can help keep your bees put and your colony strong.
This article breaks down how much and when to feed pollen patties, how to avoid Small Hive Beetles, and what to do if your bees aren’t eating them—covering the essentials for effective protein feeding.
Most beekeeping books suggest swarm cells and supersedure cells are easy to tell apart based on location alone—but bees aren't reading the same books we are. Looking at factors like hive strength, time of year, brood pattern, and the number of cells present gives a clearer picture of what the bees are really doing and helps avoid costly missteps.
