artificial swarm - bees not flying

[deb]

Hi

I performed an artificial swarm about 10 days ago. Since then the bees that were separated from the original colony are not flying very much. They have sealed brood, stores and a QC. When I spotted this, I was worried that they wouldn't have enough stores if they weren't foraging, so I fed them about a week ago.

Is this normal? They seem fine otherwise?

Any thoughts out there?

 

[enrico]

It is cos they are all nurse bees, they should have all the frames from the old hive which usually contain enough stores for them, and pollen for the grubs. They will soon get old enough to forage.
Shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't feed!
E

 

[deb]

Thanks.

 

[beeno]

Hi deb,
Just so that there are no misunderstandings 'the bees that were separated from the original colony'. New box queen + flyers. Old box QC and nurse bees. Terminology hey!

 

[MandF]

Hmm, I would call the "new box" the one separated off to one side, the brood and nurse bees

So "old box" = original hive with queen and new foundation.

 

[deb]

Thanks. I would call the new box the one with the QC and nurse bees, in new location. Old box is original location, Queen and flyers.

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Thanks. I would call the new box the one with the QC and nurse bees, in new location. Old box is original location, Queen and flyers.

I don't see that as logical, deb.

This is an artificial swarm. In a real swarm, the queen leaves the original hive with her flying bees, to set up a new colony. The original colony is the one with the remaining brood and nurse bees.

In the case of an A/S, the original colony has been moved a matter of feet - but it's still the original colony. The queen and flying bees, however, have been fooled into thinking they've moved into new quarters.

Dusty

 

[beeno]

Help me out here Dusty. If Deb's then saying her flyers are not flying then that is a different problem which I don't know the answer to. I am only interested in getting it right for the bees!

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

My apologies.

I went off on a tangent. I realise it was unhelpful.

Dusty.

 

[alanf]

Hmm, I would call the "new box" the one separated off to one side, the brood and nurse bees

So "old box" = original hive with queen and new foundation.

Thanks. I would call the new box the one with the QC and nurse bees, in new location. Old box is original location, Queen and flyers.

I wonder why so many AS descriptions are hard to follow...

 

[psafloyd]

It is cos they are all nurse bees, they should have all the frames from the old hive which usually contain enough stores for them, and pollen for the grubs. They will soon get old enough to forage.
Shouldn't be a problem, I wouldn't feed!
E

 

[MandF]

Help me out here Dusty. If Deb's then saying her flyers are not flying then that is a different problem which I don't know the answer to. I am only interested in getting it right for the bees!

It has been answered hasnt it?!

The bees separated off were nurse bees. There wont be flyers straight away.

 

[chrismcd]

Can I suggest that you do feed

At this stage in the season you will want the colony to increase as fast as possible.

if you feed syrup to the new colony, the initial group of foragers will be able to concentrate on gathering pollen. So there will be plenty of protein for the brood.

Just a thought, but I find that it helps to get the new colony growing fast. And it helps to make me feel I am helping them!!

 

[BeeJayBee]

@ Deb - it takes about 21ish days for newly emerged bees to become foragers. http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm

Thanks. I would call the new box the one with the QC and nurse bees, in new location. Old box is original location, Queen and flyers.

I don't see that as logical, deb.

This is an artificial swarm. In a real swarm, the queen leaves the original hive with her flying bees, to set up a new colony. The original colony is the one with the remaining brood and nurse bees.

In the case of an A/S, the original colony has been moved a matter of feet - but it's still the original colony. The queen and flying bees, however, have been fooled into thinking they've moved into new quarters.

Dusty

Everybody has their own way of keeping records, and I think it depends if your records follow the queen or the developing queen cell, non-flyers and brood.

If your records follow the queen then the box she's in will keep the same name/number and will keep the existing records. The box containing the queen cell will get a new number/name and a brand new set of records.

If the records follow the brood, then the existing records follow that box and the old queen will get a new identity.

My records follow the queen. For example my current "hive #1" had queen cells, so the queen was separated from the brood. She was still in a box called "hive #1", and all her colony records stay with her. The new colony, which contains the queen cell, has a new number and brand new records.

Ask a bunch of beekeepers a question, and get loads of different answers