As swarm season in the Northern hemisphere continues, it seems timely to look in on tanging.

Tanging means making loud noises to induce a honey bee swarm to return or settle on a bush or similar for recovery. If there’s any efficacy of doing this, it may be in that sometimes the bees think there is a thunder storm arriving and want to return to the hive because of that.

The practice or belief is ancient. Pliny the Elder (Roman naturalist and military general of the first century CE) wrote:

BEES JOY in the clapping of hands, and ringing of brasen basons: at the sound thereof they will assemble and come together.¹⁾Philemon Holland, translator (1601): C. Plinius Secundus The Historie of the World. Book XI. (Pages 310-356)

It’s not clear if too many people still practice tanging, but modern beekeepers might do so, but not tell anyone.