Bees keep swarming

[MandF]

A bit late now, but couldnt you have removed most of the frames of brood inc nurse bees from the swarming hive, without the queen and any queen cells destroyed, into your small hive (spraying with sugar syrup as you go), then swapping in the foundation or empty frames from the other hive? Finally break down any other QCs in the original hive, and you have effectively done a partial artificial swarm, just using the other very small hive instead of a new brood box, and boosting it into the bargain?

 

[Hayteem]

I will get the extra kit. I also did look each day for four days but just could not find the queen. I hope I do get some useful comments so that I can take note and learn from you. To my surprise I got very little reaction from the bees to the wasp spray into the holes in the wall. Just a few bees appeared from inside but still loads of bees were trying to get past me to get in. The bees were already deep inside the building far from the holes in the brickwork. I was shocked when I saw them appearing and getting trapped in the fitted lamp shades in the rooms. I wonder how long they will live for sealed up!

 

[scuttlefish]

A few of the really experienced beeks on here have strongly advised against walling up swarms/colonies and leaving them to die (posting from my 'phone so won't elucidate at the mo'). Perhaps you would be better off to leave them with one exit and try a trap-out?

 

[scuttlefish]

I wonder how long they will live for sealed up!

No idea, but it has been posted here that the sound of a walled up colony when it realises that it's doomed is one of those horrible sounds you never want to hear again...

Sorry to hear you're having such a stressful start to your beekeeping career, try to think of it as an "in at the deep end" learning experience & I hope next season is a bit less of a headwrecker for you!

 

[Hayteem]

Thanks Adam, each bee was my responsibility and I felt it but it was a fight to stop hoards of bees coming from somewhere over the roof into the brickwork. There were no bees in the immediate space behind the holes, which were about a foot apart, as they had gone spread into the cavities and between floors. Today lots of bees were still finding their way into rooms through various cracks, skirting boards, edges of glazing units and ceiling roses on both floors, front and at the back of the house. The noise has gone in the kitchen. My books tell about bees getting into brickwork cavities but I assumed they stayed there as a tight community and started living again. It never struck me nor have I seen it written that they would invade the house through every crack via all the cavities. Maybe that has never happened to the authors. I truly don't believe leaving one hole open would have made them leave as even today hundreds of bees are still circling around the brickwork looking I assume for a way in. I would not be able to wait 5 or 6 weeks, trying to secure a cardboard box or brood box 'trap out' 15 feet up against a wall. The neighbouring family would not being able to hang out their washing or go into their garden. When I failed on the responsibility for the bees I did as much as I could for the neighbours. I wish I could have found the queen prior to the main swarm but I just could not find her even looking over four days.

 

[Les]

Hi Peter
How are you doing? Losing a swarm happens to most –if not all of us at some time or another.

I wish I could have found the queen prior to the main swarm but I just could not find her even looking over four days.

Do you inspect on your own as I find that my wife is an expert queen spotter – so having someone with you helps, but saying that we generally only look for evidence that the queen is there.
Believe it or not I lost one this morning we arrived at the apiary at 11.15 and at 11.25 one of the hives started to swarm. It landed in a tree in the allotment next to ours and as the allotments are all fenced off I phoned the owner and he said he would be there to open up at 12.30 – he duly arrived and we went to retrieve it and it had gone, just a few straggles were left behind. So in less than an hour the bees had swarmed landed in a tree and then took off.
You say you live near Springhill Hospice I live at the other end of town near the football/rugby ground and like you don’t know any other beekeepers in Rochdale – we probably should meet up and can compare notes/apiaries.
I know Rochdale is a one horse town but there has to be more than two beekeepers.

Hope things get sorted with the neighbours.
Les