Swarming is a honey bee colony's natural means of reproduction. In the process of swarming, a single colony splits into two or more distinct colonies.
A swarm of bees in Melbourne, Australia
Honey bee queen cup
Bee swarm on tree branch in eastern Arkansas.
A beekeeper collecting a bee swarm.
Apis cerana, the eastern honey bee, Asiatic honey bee or Asian honey bee, is a species of honey bee native to South, Southeast and East Asia. This species is the sister species of Apis koschevnikovi and both are in the same subgenus as the western (European) honey bee, Apis mellifera. A. cerana is known to live sympatrically along with Apis koschevnikovi within the same geographic location. Apis cerana colonies are known for building nests consisting of multiple combs in cavities containing a small entrance, presumably for defense against invasion by individuals of another nest. The diet of this honey bee species consists mostly of pollen and nectar, or honey. Moreover, Apis cerana is known for its highly social behavior, reflective of its classification as a type of honey bee.
Image: Apis cerana, Asiatic honey bee Khao Yai National Park
Image: Apis Cerana Chiang Mai w queen P1011011 3
Apis cerana
A. cerana in Nepal