Honey bee swarm season across North America is arriving nearly three weeks ahead of schedule in 2026, with climate-driven warming fingered as the primary cause. Beekeepers are racing to catch swarms after last winter saw the highest colony loss rate since tracking began.
ALT An image of honey bees near a hive with a yellow colored text overlay that reads: “Driven by an unusually warm winter and spring, North America’s 2026 bee swarm season has arrived 17 days early, marking the earliest start ever recorded.”