How do you know if a colony has successfully swarmed?

To determine if a colony has successfully swarmed, observing a significant drop in the bee population along with the presence of queen cells is an important indicator. When a colony swarms, a large number of bees, including the old queen, leave the hive to establish a new colony. This exodus results in a noticeable decrease in the number of worker bees remaining in the original hive.

Furthermore, the presence of queen cells is crucial since this indicates that the remaining bees are raising new queens to ensure the colony's continuity. These queen cells are typically found in the brood area and are crucial for the colony's survival after the swarm has left. Thus, the combination of a reduced bee population alongside queen cells signifies that the swarming process has occurred and that the colony is actively preparing for future generations.