North Carolina Bee School Practice Exam

What typically causes a bee colony to swarm?

1. Starvation

2. Overcrowding

3. Weather Changes

4. Pest Infestation

The correct answer is: Overcrowding

Swarming is a natural reproduction process for honey bee colonies and is primarily driven by the need for the colony to ensure its continuation. Overcrowding within the hive is a significant factor that triggers swarming behavior. When the bee population grows too large for the available space, the colony may feel compelled to split. This overcrowding leads to insufficient room for the queen to lay eggs and for the bees to store food, prompting the bees to initiate swarming. During this process, the queen and a substantial portion of the worker bees leave the original hive to establish a new colony elsewhere, essentially reducing the population pressure on the old colony and allowing it to thrive in conditions that are less congested. While factors like starvation, weather changes, and pest infestation can certainly impact bee colonies, they do not directly trigger swarming behavior in the same way that overcrowding does. For example, while starvation might lead to a decline in the colony's health and potential colony collapse, it does not prompt the behavior of swarming. Similarly, significant shifts in weather can affect bees' activity but aren't a primary cause of swarming. Pest infestations can weaken a colony and potentially lead to its decline, but they don't provoke the swarming response that ensures reproductive success