Nuptial flight s conducted by alates, usually after good rains during spring or early to mid-summer (species-specific).

(of birds and animals) tending to move or live together in groups or colonies of the same kind; "ants are social insects"; "the herding instinct in sheep or cattle"; "swarming behavior in bees"

the natural process of propagating a colony of honey bees.

in ants, colony reproduction in which alates fly from the nest to mate and establish a new colony.

group of a large number of individals from the same species flying together. Swarming is very often a prelude to mating.

the natural method of propagation of the honey bee colony.

Swarming is the natural means of reproduction of honey bee colonies (considering the colony as the organism rather than individual bees which cannot survive alone), including the domesticated Western honey bee. In the process two or more colonies are created in place of the original single colony. It is considered good practice in beekeeping to reduce swarming as much as possible by several techniques, as allowing this form of reproduction often results in the loss of the more vigorous division, and the remaining colony being so depleted that it is unproductive for the season.