When a hive is too large (and the queen pheromone, a social hormeone, spread too thin) the bees create new queens and swarm. In a rush of activity and noise, the old queen takes off with a large contingent of the hive, leaving the emerging young queen with the resources of the old hive; the established comb, the emerging brood and the returning field bees.
The Swarm then sets off in search of a new home.
Photo courtesy of Ben Fisher
