"I know from limited experience that mean bees can make mean swarms"

I have often observed, and confirmed from my record cards, that colonies often display a marked deterioration in temper weeks before swarming.  My unproven guess is that they are unsettled by the reduction in the daily dose of queen substance that they expect. Eventually they solve the problem by sending her off with a swarm replacing her with a new queen that exudes oodles of calming pheromenes.

Chris


 
 

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