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Originally from Bee-L "The three most frequent residues were the widely used fungicide carbendazim and two acaricides, amitraz and coumaphos, that are used by beekeepers to control Varroa destructor. Apiaries in rural-cultivated landscapes were more contaminated than those in other landscape...

It sounds like the queen is lost somehow.

Large swarms often contain more than one queen. Could this be the case?

This. It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his "opinion," as I have seen on another thread of late.

For all beekeeping issues, the best answer is "It Depends [on each local/individual/peculiar circumstances]." It is the inexperienced beekeeper that insists on his opinion to be the gospel truth, often resorting to name calling or even go so far as to change the OP's original data to fit his...

Expanding foam insulation works well when sealing up.

All right, then, more often than not (how's that now?) I stand by my observations based on overall average primary and secondary swarms in my locale.

Hence, my qualification "invariably."

Mike, Would be able to have any surplus queens this year? If so, I would like to be the first in line to try your Marthas please. Let me know when so that I could schedule splits. Always.

Nay, for me. Methinks bees know what they need to do better than I do.

Mini or micro swarms like that are cast or as we say a secondary swarm in my neck of the woods. That could an old queen after a superstructure late in the season.

Two years ago, I had to do a cutout in late December at the insistence of a mobile home dealership nearby. I was able to save this late cutout without any honey store on their part by pouring regular sugar on top of a newspaper, known as Mountain Camp method. The sugar will become hardened...

In my area, a cast typically occurs late in the season and most primary swarms occur early in the season like now. You can invariably tell by the height and the size of their cluster, the cast led by virgin lighting very high in the branch with smaller (rugby ball size). Ideally you can put a...

Would the bees correct my mistake if I put some in upside down, No. When you turned larvae, it could not breathe and be dead. The trick is bending the plastic tongue (Chinese grafting tool) as you go in and as you lay the larvae down.

1. Locate where the nest is precisely. (use a thermal camera if you have one) 2. Seal any vent and escape holes and cracks except for their main entrance through which they will escape and you will vacuum. 3. Use bee-repellent and smoke to drive them out (a continuous labor of using heavy smoke...

This is a new version of what I bought a long time ago and it is not from recycled material: I am aware, though, they are recycling poly in the mattress industry: https://polyurethane.americanchemistry.com/Polyurethane-Recycling/ I wish someone to come up with plastic recycled hive bodies...

I've got a single poly that I carry in the back of my pickup all the time; it is about 30 years old; I repainted and duct-taped many times to maintain its structural integrity. I love its light weight. Yesterday, for instance, I was able to hoist it up right under a swarm with my left arm...

If I were to start it all over again, I would go for Poly all the way; save trees, better insulation, light-weight, etc. Alas, I have accumulated too much wooden ware now. I envy for those German ones, in particular, which is not available across the pond last time I checked.

Actually the "congestion" in the pic does not look too bad. If you are really concerned about heavy bearding, I recommend the use of OMF and then stack up more empty hive bodies to relieve any overcrowding. I know some are not convinced of OMF but you can always try and prove it to yourself...

Have you tried an OMF or a screened bottom board for better thermal regulation for the bees?