By Mara Tarino, UW Farm Beekeeping Intern, Majoring in Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment
As a new beekeeper at the UW Farm, I’ve discovered that maintaining a happy and healthy hive involves a lot more than I initially thought. I used to believe that beekeeping was straightforward, with bees managing themselves and providing us with the delicious honey we love. However, hive health is quite complex, and mistakes can happen easily!
Additonally, not all bees provide us with honey. According to, the University of
Arkansas, “around 20,000 species of bees have been described in the superfamily Apoidea.” And, as “Europeans explored and colonized parts of the globe, they have transported and established the western honey bee on every continent except Antarctica.”
Despite their small size, bees are considered “stock,” and much like cows, require careful management. The consequences of mismanaging a hive became clear when we opened one of our previously bustling bee boxes and found half of our bees missing. What happened, and where did they go?
This situation, as my mentor explained, is actually quite normal. When a hive is busy producing new bees, space can become very crowded—much like living in a tiny one-bedroom apartment in New York City with eight roommates. With so many bees in such a small space, it’s no wonder they might want to move. This is where swarming comes into play. When a hive becomes too crowded, the old queen and about half of the hive will leave to find a new home, leaving plenty of space for a new queen and the remaining bees to continue managing the original hive.
Swarming starts when the old queen and her followers depart and cluster somewhere temporarily while scout bees search for a new location. Sometimes, this new location can be quite unexpected—like sidewalks, stop signs, or even busy roads. In the case of our swarm, they chose branches of young apples trees nearby.
In our case, the hive became too crowded and hot, causing the bees to leave before we had the chance to split the hive into two separate boxes. As a result, we lost thousands of bees. This was a significant loss for us, as bees are a valuable asset for beekeepers.
Later in the week, we learned from the UW Farm Manager, Perry Acworth, that our swarm had settled on a a young apple tree just a few feet from their old hive. (See photo above, July 3, 2024). The swarm was waiting for the scout bees to return with information on their new home. Although we were disappointed by the loss, it was a fascinating reminder of how even tiny bees are part of a complex life cycle.
Walking past a swarm might feel like the opening scene of a horror movie, but it’s important to know that swarming bees are surprisingly docile since they don’t have a hive to defend. Often, they can be gently scooped up and relocated with nothing but bare hands. In our case, another beekeeper came by and safely transferred the swarm into a new box.
There is much to learn about hive management, and swarming is just one intriguing aspect of bee behavior. With proper management, European honey bees may not need to swarm, but if they do, it’s nothing to worry about. So, if you come across a cluster of bees while out walking, remember, you’re simply witnessing an amazing part of the bee life cycle!
Bee Trivia!
Can you spot the queen? The answer will be at the bottom!
Recipes of the Week:
Green Bean Fries
By: Sara Welch, Dinner At the Zoo
Image and Recipe Source: Dinner At the Zoo
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh green beans trimmed
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk (or non-dairy alternative)
1 1/4 cups Italian breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (or non-dairy alternative)
3 tablespoons olive oil
cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions:
Follow this link for the recipe instructions.
Sichuan-style Asian greens stir-fry with crispy tofu
By: Lucy Nunes, Taste.com
Image and Recipe Source: Taste.com
Were you able to find the queen? 👑
She is identifiable because her abdomen is much longer than the other bees with her wings actually being shorter than the rest of the honey bees. Interestingly, queen bees are genetically identical to their workers but different gene expression leads to their different appearance!
Food Access Resources
The UW Farm donates regularly to the UW Food Pantry. During peak season we also donate to nearby food banks. The links below are resources to help you or someone you know with food access.
Every year, we have the capacity to grow more food and increase our educational and research program at the UW, but not without your support. Every contribution goes to work immediately, helping us better serve students. Your support can sustain our momentum and help seed new opportunities for student internships, academic work, and future growth. Please consider making a gift to the Farm online
The Weekly Dirt is produced once a week by the University of Washington Farm, a program of the UW Botanic Gardens, School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, College of the Environment. It is published nearly year-round for educational purposes and the majority of the content is written or contributed by students and farm staff.
This issue’s contributors:
Managing Editor: Erica Fong, 2024-25 Americorps Education and Outreach Lead at the UW Farm
Around the Farm: Mara Tarino, Beekeeping Intern, Studying Environmental Science & Terrestrial Resource Management in the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences Contributing Editors: Perry Acworth, Farm Manager; Rebecca Alexander; Librarian, Manager of Reference and Technical Services, Elisabeth C. Miller Library Photo Credits: Perry Acworth, UW Photography. Other photos retrieved from the internet and noted in sections
initially thought. I used to believe that beekeeping was straightforward, with bees managing themselves and providing us with the delicious honey we love. However, hive health is quite complex, and mistakes can happen easily!
Swarming starts when the old queen and her followers depart and cluster somewhere temporarily while 
f bee behavior. With proper management, European honey bees may not need to swarm, but if they do, it’s nothing to worry about. So, if you come across a cluster of bees while out walking, remember, you’re simply witnessing an amazing part of the bee life cycle!
