From the beginning of May to about the end of July, one of the main activities for a beekeeper is swarm prevention. Swarming is the way that honeybees multiply the species and consists of a Queen honeybee leaving the original colony accompanied by, on average, about 15-20,000 other bees. As a result, the original hive is depleted of foraging bees and honey production is slowed considerably.
![bee-3431462_640 bee-3431462_640](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/bee-3431462_640-225x300.jpg)
![swarm-2704947_640 swarm-2704947_640](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/swarm-2704947_640-225x300.jpg)
![honeybee-1181558_640 honeybee-1181558_640](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/honeybee-1181558_640-225x300.jpg)
See our beekeepers for swarms page for contact details of beekeepers who may be willing to collect swarms.
![honeybee-525224_640 Honeybee](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/honeybee-525224_640.jpg)
![hornet-3336385_640 hornet-3336385_640](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/hornet-3336385_640.jpg)
![bumblebee-3647445_640 bumblebee-3647445_640](https://ayrbeekeepers.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/bumblebee-3647445_640.jpg)