a two swarm question

[Cuckmere couple]

we caught two swarms which i think are casts as they are both only 3 'seams' of bees

both must be older queens as laying immediately and looking fat

i would like a single colony from them to overwinter (this is my view of what is most realistic, tell me if im wrong)

as i understand it the queen will only lay at the rate the bees can nurse the brood etc....

will a colony develop faster therefore

1. merged, with 1 of the queens laying at a faster rate because of the higher strength of the united bees
2. kept separate allowing two queens to lay and then combining brood together
3. is it the same thing
4. could they survive winter as two separate colonies
5. something else

they have laid around half a side of eggs each - these are still eggs

 

[enrico]

Casts have virgin queens so they are not casts
They have all summer to build up, you should have two decent hives for winter
E

 

[Cuckmere couple]

Casts have virgin queens so they are not casts
E

ah, ok, then they are small swarms i guess?


they're both on 3-4 frames

 

[pargyle]

A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon ... I'd let them get on with it - the time for combining because of size is late in the year - you'll know by then what sort of queens/colonies you have. They will probably surprise you ...

 

[Cuckmere couple]

A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon ... I'd let them get on with it - the time for combining because of size is late in the year - you'll know by then what sort of queens/colonies you have. They will probably surprise you ...

excellent

thanks all

ive sat them next to each other now in nucs which probably wasnt best idea if i want to keep both

 

[pargyle]

excellent

thanks all

ive sat them next to each other now in nucs which probably wasnt best idea if i want to keep both

It's not a problem. ....they will be fine. When they grow too big for the nucs just put them int full size boxes and move thema few feet apart. 3 feet is fine - just give yourself some space to work around them.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

It's not a problem. ....they will be fine. When they grow too big for the nucs just put them int full size boxes and move thema few feet apart. 3 feet is fine - just give yourself some space to work around them.

excellent, will do

also...i didnt feed for 4 days and then have fed with about 30%...they seem to have filled most of the comb theyve drawn with this (plus half a side of eggs...which is very fluid in the comb

 

[Erichalfbee]

excellent, will do

also...i didnt feed for 4 days and then have fed with about 30%...they seem to have filled most of the comb theyve drawn with this (plus half a side of eggs...which is very fluid in the comb

There is enough nectar for them to collect. Don’t feed them any more. I feed swarms only if there is no flow.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

ok