Recent Research on Swarming Behaviour, Including Sound Production

Results of the most recent research on swarming have not previously been generally available, and Dr. Simpson's concise summary of them is most welcome. The author's own researches have dealt with some aspects of swarming that are of the greatest concern to beekeepers.The swarming of bees is no longer as great a mystery as it was, although any one step in unravelling the intricate sequence of swarm preparation, emergence, resettling and “hiving” may lead to further puzzles. One of the most interesting new developments is the accumulation of evidence that sounds produced by bees, and presumably received by other bees, can play a decisive role in the swarming process.