What significant change occurs when a hive has swarmed?

When a hive swarms, a significant change that occurs is a great decrease in population. Swarming is a natural reproduction method for honeybee colonies, during which the old queen leaves the hive along with a substantial portion of the worker bees to establish a new colony. This departure means that the original hive experiences a sudden drop in its bee population, as many of its workers and the queen are now part of a new colony.

While the original hive may still function and eventually raise a new queen, it will initially experience this reduction in numbers, impacting its ability to gather resources and maintain honey production until the situation stabilizes. The departure of the queen and a chunk of the worker population is a key characteristic of swarming behavior, distinguishing it from other events in a hive's lifecycle.