August Swarm - Unite or over-winter

[andybeehive]

I got a call from a friend yesterday who had found a large swarm while walking the dog.

Grabbed a six frame 14x12 poly nuc and added a frame with drawn comb (and some honey stores) and proceeded to the swarm. Easiest collection ever…. The swarm (about 4 pints in volume) was clinging cold and a bit damp to a 4 foot thistle. The cluster was simply cut out and deposited into the poly nuc and the six frames carefully placed on top – if only all collections were this easy!! [all but five bees were collected…]

Now if it was May or June I would feed them and develope them to a full colony but is it too late in mid-August?? Assuming they are OK and the queen starts laying, should I feed them and hope to over-winter them in the six frame poly nuc or kill the queen and try to combine they with one of my other colonies?? I had success in over wintering a late July swarm in the past but mid August…..

 

[Mark Young]

I would put them in a nuc and let them sort themselves out. I am assuming they will still find forage in your area which would be very similar to mine. Keep an eye on them by all accounts but I wouldn't sod around combining them when they will probably be just fine

 

[Erichalfbee]

A nice warm poly nuc, maybe a feed in two or three days time.
They will be primed to draw wax. Think of all that new comb.

 

[itma]

Sounds like a decent sized swarm.
They'll probably outgrow their nuc quite soon.

I'd suggest feeding syrup.
If they choose to fill a frame with it, simple, take that frame away and store it for later. Replace with more foundation. Repeat as needed.

If Q is mated, they should be fine for overwintering.
If it turns out to be a cast and Q has trouble finding nice drones, then you should be thinking of uniting. However, unless that happens, they should be fine if you manage them towards overwintering.
They need comb - firstly for more (winter) bees then for stores.

Don't forget to give them some sort of varroa treatment after they have settled, but before they have sealed brood. (If they have a little sealed brood, you could still cull it and increase the treatment effectiveness.)

 

[user 6228]

lotsa insulation... even if you put it into a poly nuc add a 35mm kingspan cover.
with the right level of insulation you can overwinter a mug full of bees...

 

[Finman]

.
Let the swarm draw foundations and then look how much it makes brood frames. when it is time to put hive in winter feeding condition, take an evaluation then. You may join brood frames and make a good wintering unit. One month time to see it.

 

[beeno]

Hi andybeehive,
I would feed, not indiscriminately, keep an eye on what's going on. Ivy nectar and pollen to follow? If that's the case, should be ok for winter bees! I still have loads of drones if it is a cast. Good luck.

 

[psafloyd]

A nice warm poly nuc, maybe a feed in two or three days time.
They will be primed to draw wax. Think of all that new comb.

 

[psafloyd]

.
Let the swarm draw foundations and then look how much it makes brood frames. when it is time to put hive in winter feeding condition, take an evaluation then. You may join brood frames and make a good wintering unit. One month time to see it.

Very good answer from Finman.

 

[oliver90owner]

Yes, very good as usual from Finman.

All seem to have ignored the health aspect. Don't even consider uniting until health status has been ascertained.

I would only feed syrup initially after the usual three day fasting period. I would then monitor for stores and maybe feed a little longer if it is a cast swarm (likely), but not if there is adequate being brought in and the queen is laying - more brood is far more important than lots of wax and stores. I might risk a frame of emerging brood to help them on their way at some point, too.

That six frame polynuc is plenty for them at the moment and possibly for the winter. I might be inclined to add a super to that nuc (I have some that will fit) and over-winter them in the nuc, dummying down if needed. All a matter of weather, forage, etc, so nothing set in stone. I would doubt they would expand to fill a full 14x12, but one can never be sure.

First things are to check whether a cast or prime and feed.

RAB

 

[Hivemaker.]

with the right level of insulation you can overwinter a mug full of bees...

I agree you can, and i do, lots of them...18mm ply and some wood shavings on top the crown board.