A hive, a nuc and a cardboard box - what to do next

[Jonny901]

Hi,

So after my previous hive splitting to avoid swarming, I ended up with a swarm this morning. After a few days I destroyed a QC so I though I only had one, but I'm guessing I must have left 2 QCs by accident.

They swarmed in my garden and I managed to catch the swarm in a cardboard box. But now I don't know what to do. I now have my original hive with a new hatched queen in (who I assume isn't mated yet), my nuc with the old laying queen in, and cardboard box with the swarm in (I'm assuming with a virgin queen in).

My plan was originally to kill off the old queen and put a new brood box on top with a newspaper layer to reintroduce the bees and frames in the nuc to the main hive.

Now I don't know what to do. I have a spare brood box and (homemade) floor and roof, so my initial thought is to put the swarm into that (but they won't have any drawn comb).

If I did that but instead killed the old queen (from the nuc) and put the frames from the nuc in, would that be ok? I'm assuming that the swarm would kill any brood but would that matter?

Any advice is very welcome!

Thanks

Jonny

 

[Eyeman]

Am I correct in this interpretation:

So after my previous hive splitting to avoid swarming, I ended up with a swarm this morning. After a few days I destroyed a QC so I though I only had one, but I'm guessing I must have left 2 QCs by accident.

You did an artificial swarm by 'taking a nuc' with the queen and some brood. The original hive stayed on the original site and this has now swarmed. You presume you left more than one queen cell, although they may have swarmed with just one queen cell!

They swarmed in my garden and I managed to catch the swarm in a cardboard box. But now I don't know what to do. I now have my original hive with a new hatched queen in (who I assume isn't mated yet), my nuc with the old laying queen in, and cardboard box with the swarm in (I'm assuming with a virgin queen in).

What is most likely is the swarm has a virgin, your nuc you say still has the old laying queen and the original hive may or may not have a virgin- easy to find out by inspecting the original hive and counting how many queen cells have emerged if > than 1 you have a virgin. ALSO AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED TO RELEASE ANY QUEENS FROM UN-OPENED QUEEN CELLS OR YOU WILL RISK A CAST SWARM OR TWO.

Now I don't know what to do. I have a spare brood box and (homemade) floor and roof, so my initial thought is to put the swarm into that (but they won't have any drawn comb).

Swarms are foundation drawing machines so they wont need any drawn comb
With your limited equipment I would put the swarm into your second brood box with foundation and watch them draw it out.
Go through the original hive to release any unemerged queens so that you don't risk cast swarms.
Wait for 2-3 weeks before checking to see if the virgins are mated so that now you have a minimum of 2 hives- much easier to manage the unexpected when you have a backup hive.
Keep the nuc going and try and over-winter it.

If I did that but instead killed the old queen (from the nuc) and put the frames from the nuc in, would that be ok? I'm assuming that the swarm would kill any brood but would that matter

Swarms don't kill brood!

Finally get yourself in a local beekeeping club and get a mentor

 

[MartinL]

Get them in quickly & they'll draw what they need to get going.

While they're doing that you can decide what to do.
Might be an idea to check the old hive for eggs too?

 

[Jonny901]

I put the swarm into the new hive using a ramp and sheet and they marched themselves inside. Noticed 2 hours later there was no sign of activity outside the hive; had a listen- no noise; peeked inside - no bees.

We've been pottering in the garden for the whole afternoon apart from about 15 minutes so they must have up and gone in that.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks for the update.

I'll check my bait hive!

Thanks in advance, neighbour!


Dusty

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I put the swarm into the new hive using a ramp and sheet and they marched themselves inside.

All well and good as a party trick but much better to just dump them all in to a brood box with the middle four or five frames removed then putting the frames back in to sink through the bees, close up and leave alone

 

[Anduril]

Thanks for the update.

I'll check my bait hive!

Thanks in advance, neighbour!


Dusty

Heaven sent

 

[Dave /Oscroft]

All well and good as a party trick but much better to just dump them all in to a brood box with the middle four or five frames removed then putting the frames back in to sink through the bees, close up and leave alone

My thoughts exactly ! plus a qx to stop them coming out for a day or so !
ive never done the ramp trick, never had time to sit and wait around ! dump em in, and off to the pub !

Dave

 

[user 6228]

I would check the hive you marched them into
make sure its

40 +/- 10 litres
entrance is <2E-3 m^2 (SI) or <20 square cm (cgs for those who remember the past) or < 4 square inches (for those living in the past).
No light getting in from the floor mesh or other gaps.