Annual shook swarms for IPM management

[Finman]

During my 46 beekeeping years, this is my first time I heard about annual shook swarms. I have read much internet during last 5 years. I have not seen either. - Some local or national habit which stays like nose in face.

But what I have learnt in forums is: IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH BEES, SHAKE THEM! - AND PUT SOMETHING STUFF ON THEM, WHAT EVER.

 

[Polyanwood]

Finman,

I thought your two posts previous to this one were brilliant. Very helpful and clear.

Thanks

 

[FenBee]

Finman and everyone else who commented, thank you very much for the helpful advice. I shall heed it and not do a shook swarm.

The hive is very busy and I do need to change over to my new hive, so I shall do so in steps, i.e. adding a second brood box. But, first I shall check every frame for queen cells, in case I need to perform an artificial swarm.

Many thanks again for you feedback. I have a lot yet to learn about bees and beekeeping!

 

[Finman]

.
As far I guess, just now you have in UK good times for bees, Everything is in blossom and canola gives honey. Give to hives space and foundations to draw. Let the hive grow and work.

If hive has quite full super it must have 2 more supers where they put nectar to dry out.

If weathers are long bad and bees do not get food, it means quite surely swarming and inspecting.

 

[Nellie]

At a risk of getting all sandal wearing, Guardian reading, lefty about a box of bugs there is also the small matter: Is a potential couple of extra jars of honey worth needlessly destroying complete frames of otherwise healthy brood?

If you just want to switch over the combs and put them in a new brood chamber, do a bailey comb change instead, sure it's a bit more fiddly but you don't lose the existing brood doing it.

As for swarm control, and continuing my sackcloth wearing, self flaggelation, it's probably about as effective as tipping half your bees on the floor and bashing them to death with the brood frames. It'll certainly reduce the congestion and delay the inevitable a bit, but I reckon it's not part of standard swarm control for good reason.

 

[Haughton Honey]

Ah Nellie......such an amusing way with words! Made me laugh out loud, truly.

 

[FenBee]

Well, I went for an artifical swarm as there were sealed queen cells in the hive. However, the queen and about 20 thousand bees took to the air a short while later! They settled in one of my trees and now they are in a large bag with two fresh combs. Just completing the work on a new hive for them. Never did find the queen before I started the procedure, so she is either with the swarm or lost, time will tell. I shall put them on a syrup feed until they have made new comb. I wanted a second hive, but was not planning on one quite so soon, guess I can say goodbye to a honey crop this year

 

[VEG]

You may well get a crop off the bees that have swarmed

 

[FenBee]

Well I worked until sundown and the bees are in their new hive. Here are some pictures I took this evening. The first is of the robust PVC carrier bag that I used to capture the swarm,
the rest show the bees moving up to the hive. Lets hope they are happy in their new hive!

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[Nellie]

Very nice photos there fenbee.

 

[VEG]

That looked quite a big swarm as well. Good on you for catching them.

 

[Finman]

If you get swarms, put them together 4 kg =occupye 2 stores.
It forages normal yield 40-60 kg