Practical Guide: 1.4.2 Artificial Swarm
The artificial swarm is a beekeeping method for establishing new colonies in which bees are deliberately taken from existing colonies and reassembled. It serves, among other purposes, colony multiplication, rehabilitation of affected colonies, and reduction of varroa. The following information is based on the official Practical Guide 1.4.2 of the Swiss Bee Health Service.
Official Practical Guide – Summary
Practical Guide: 1.4.2 Artificial Swarm
- Principle: An artificial swarm consists of shaken bees that are introduced without brood into a new hive.
- Objectives:
- Establishment of new colonies.
- Interruption of the brood cycle to reduce varroa pressure.
- Rehabilitation of colonies with health problems.
- Prerequisites:
- Sufficient bee mass from healthy donor colonies.
- Provision of a mated queen or suitable queen rearing.
- Secure feeding after introduction.
- Procedure:
- Shake off the required quantity of bees.
- Place them in an empty hive or box.
- Introduce them into the prepared hive according to the practical guide.
- Note:
- The artificial swarm requires consistent follow-up management, particularly regarding feeding.
► PDF of the official practical guide (DE)
► Official overview of practical guides (bienen.ch)
Note: Chapter 1.4.2 “Artificial Swarm”.
Summary based on Practical Guide 1.4.2. Last review: 01/2026.
Learn more:
- Practical Guide: 1.4.3 Artificial swarm with queen
- How are queens introduced?
- Practical Guide: 2.8 Varroosis
- Principles of bee feeding