Artificial swarm

[thorn]

A contributor to my local association's mag, writing about the Darlington, stated that it's simple to do an artificial swarm with one, by inserting a board in the middle and opening an entrance at the other end. Presumably this applies with equal force to a Beehaus.
This would seem to be an advantage of this kind of hive that no-one has commented on. Has anyone done it, and if so, is it as simple and straightforward as it seems?

 

[oliver90owner]

that no-one has commented on. Has anyone done it,

Am I on your 'ignore' list or something? Can't remember how many times I have commented on this. One example is the rediculous claims (by inference from the sales hype), by omlette, that the beehaus was designed to be be used for two full production colonies.

The beehaus is only a plastic Dartington (and a poorer version to the ply version, IMO). Read the dartington operation manual and all will be clear from that. Writtern by a beekeeper for information, not sales prattle.

RAB

 

[thorn]

that no-one has commented on. Has anyone done it,

Am I on your 'ignore' list or something? Can't remember how many times I have commented on this. One example is the rediculous claims (by inference from the sales hype), by omlette, that the beehaus was designed to be be used for two full production colonies.

The beehaus is only a plastic Dartington (and a poorer version to the ply version, IMO). Read the dartington operation manual and all will be clear from that. Writtern by a beekeeper for information, not sales prattle.

RAB

Thanks Rab. I went back to your post of15 September 2009 to see what you said about artificial swarms and the beehaus. How successful have others found it?

 

[Finman]

.
Finland was full of long hives 50 years ago. I started with them but. After two years I burned them.

False swarm is a small trick in beekeeping that it cannot be a reason to use some hive model.

In Finland no one use them any more. They are very uncomfortale to handle because they were very heavy.

what ever the hive model, AS is simple to make.

 

[Finman]

.
New to UK in omelette hive is that it has insulated walls.
I would say that this the only advantage. The price is huge.
.

 

[Essexgary]

Hi all been working abroad so not had much time to post... All going well with the beehaus but not a fan in the end- despite my bravado at the start, 2.5 year on and now I know more, it really isnt that good. I have a strap between the legs to stop them splaying (this is a free replacement from omlet as the first one did the same - why they don't just weld a bar across both legs I have no idea. None of the bits fit snug, and last year I stored some spare frames of honey in the other end (closed off) only to find 200 wasps in there when I opened it up. So I have ordered a deep national as a second hive and see how that compares.

I did use it for an AS this year and it worked ok.. I now have two colonies and intend to move one to the new hive and leave the other end of the beehaus for swarm control (and a vacation spot for wasps).

Got a half super full of honey waiting to ripen at the moment. Oh and marked my first queen yesterday... Well, not so much marked but covered... She looked like bob the builder after a decorating job. And I seem to have invented a new technique...instead of clipping a queen..cover her in paint.. Her wings stick together nicely..! The bees cleaned Her up in no time and I looked at her a the end of the inspection and she was free of her colourful bondage.

One thing i have noticed is just how many bees are in the colonies, I guess they weren't flying in may so have extended their lives. Pouring out all over the place.

Caught a swarm in a friends garden last week.. Found an owner and hived them for him in his hive.. Except gave them a nice piece of melamine to walk up and they kept sliding backwrds... Bums in the air. It made me laugh so much.

Other than that.. All's good.. Hope you are all doing well. RAB drop me a PM let me know how your doing my friend.

Gary

 

[boca]

When I notice larvae in queen cells I make an artificial swarm by moving the hive to about 15 meters and placing a frame of brood and the queen in a new langstroth box with 9 foundation frames to the original location.

After two days the new hive is full of bees.

I expect that the old queen does not swarm again, but she does. What could be the reason? What mistake am I doing? Is it very important to destroy all queen cups on the frame moved?

The wings of the queens are clipped so eventually the swarm goes back into the hive, but I cannot find the queen anymore. What should I expect now?

 

[oliver90owner]

What should I expect now?

When the first queen emerges they may swarm again, if there are more queen cells. If there is just the one before the queen emerges, they will most certainly not....

 

[Finman]

What should I expect now?

When the first queen emerges they may swarm again, if there are more queen cells. If there is just the one before the queen emerges, they will most certainly not....

They have quite often hidden cells what you do not notice.

.

 

[Finman]

After two days the new hive is full of bees.

I expect that the old queen does not swarm again,

Yes, if they feel that this is too crowded place...
And if you feed them at once, they may feel the same.