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  "description": "Swarms may carry pests and pathogens. Mites are easily managed, but the notifiable foulbrood diseases are not. It is important to consider the risks, based upon swarm behaviour and the known distribution of disease locally. Is it a risk worth taking, and if not, what should be done with the swarm?",
  "path": "/whose-swarm-is-it-anyway-part-1/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-13T17:00:51.000Z",
  "site": "https://theapiarist.org",
  "tags": [
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  "textContent": "I was originally going to title this post _“It could be you”_ , but I wanted to include the word 'swarm' and hint that the source of a swarm is often not known.\n\nMost responsible beekeepers reading _The Apiarist_ probably conduct thorough, regular, inspections _and_ clip their queens. They apply swarm control promptly when it is needed.\n\nThose that don't, lose swarms {{1}}.\n\nI am not intending to discuss _ownership_ of bees or swarms. If they're in your hive, they're your bees. If they've swarmed, and left your land, then all bets are off. Anyone trying to claim ownership of a lost swarm, before it is safely hived again, is probably wasting their breath {{2}}.\n\nInstead, I intend to discuss whether you _want to own_ the swarms that you are asked to collect, or that you attract to the bait hives you set out.\n\nMore specifically, I'll be discussing reasons why the _last thing_ you might want is ownership, but that _not taking responsibility_ for the swarm is either foisting the problem on someone else, or storing up problems for you (and other beekeepers) in the future.\n\nAnd that's because today I'm going to discuss pests and pathogens associated with swarms, covering _Varroa_ briefly (as it will always be present, and is trivial to deal with), and the foulbroods in more detail.\n\n💡\n\nThis is a two-part post as there is too much to cover in one week. Foulbroods are a topic I've not covered previously, so there are few previous posts to cite.\n\nBe warned … at the end of part 2 of this topic I'm going to discuss euthanising swarms. Please do not bombard me with comments about _“saving the bees”_ {{3}}. **Honey bees do not need saving.** There are too many of them in some environments, and any swarms carrying foulbroods threaten the survival of _all_ colonies within range … managed or otherwise.\n\nBut what is _'within range'_?\n\nThat's what I'll first focus on, because you need to know that to determine whether you are at risk.\n\nSponsors get more … posts, news, and information on the science, art, and practice of sustainable beekeeping. They also have access to over a decade of legacy posts, and ensure __The Apiarist__ continues to appear every week.\n\nSign up as a sponsor\n\n### This post is for subscribers only\n\nBecome a member to get access to all content\n\nSubscribe now",
  "title": "Whose swarm is it anyway? - part 1",
  "updatedAt": "2026-02-13T17:00:51.000Z"
}