Bees under the hive

[Wilfredbuck]

OK... next little issue.

I went away on holiday for a week and had a friend look after the bees (just the one hive). unfortunately there was an issue involving putting the sealed crown board onto the brood box in-between the supers for a few days... it got sorted when they realised (by unplugging one of the holes in the CB)

But I have got back and done a hive inspection – I have seen the queen and the Hive is really really full. My problem is that I have a whole load of bees sat under the hive.

I am hoping with me removing the crown board completely so now there is just the queen excluder, this should give the bees more room to move up and down?
Do I move these bees from below and put on the Varroa board to stop them congregating there

opinions really welcome

 

[Vanterrier]

Could you not just gently brush or smoke them off in small batches and place a board below the entrance to stop them underflying back to where they were? I'm thinking they are all flyers anyway and will go back to the correct entrance...
Good luck
K

 

[user 819]

Is /was the queen clipped ?
Are you 100% sure it isn't a swarm ?

Brush /shake them into a BB with combs and set up temp as a second colony directly next adjoining to the parent colony.
If they are just clustering due to lack of space they should re enter the parent hive, if they have a Q they won't , one can check them 24 hrs later to see if a Q is present.

If hive is congested and one is 100% there is no Q with them then the bees may have had no option but to cluster underneath, find a temp stand to place the BB on and shake the bees under neath into the supers . Reassemble hive job done , one doesn't need to do much else.


I have had a QR hive that has had a swarm arrive and cluster on it before now.

 

[holmbee]

Could you not just gently brush or smoke them off in small batches and place a board below the entrance to stop them underflying back to where they were? I'm thinking they are all flyers anyway and will go back to the correct entrance...
Good luck
K

This sounds like the right way to go on the basis you have seen the queen inside the brood box. It just might be a separate swarm underneath but highly unlikely.