busy swarm season

[Garry R]

I have some questions about the "swarms carry diseases" idea. The inference is that there is a high chance that they do. BUT if you take another view that swarms come from successful , thriving overpopulated hives then they must almost by definition be in robust health. The dwindling hives don't swarm and can be regarded as having health issues eg poor queen, disease, robbing (a sure fire disease spreader if ever there was one) I do not decry the isolation idea - far from it - but how often does a disease show up in a swarm? Any opinions?

 

[JamezF]

Just got back from picking up 4 bait hives and a swarm from an apple tree.
This is getting silly

I think it got beyond silly a while back.

James

 

[JamezF]

BUT if you take another view that swarms come from successful , thriving overpopulated hives then they must almost by definition be in robust health. The dwindling hives don't swarm and can be regarded as having health issues eg poor queen, disease, robbing (a sure fire disease spreader if ever there was one) I do not decry the isolation idea - far from it - but how often does a disease show up in a swarm? Any opinions?

I have wondered this myself, but that's as far as I have got.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have some questions about the "swarms carry diseases" idea. The inference is that there is a high chance that they do. BUT if you take another view that swarms come from successful , thriving overpopulated hives then they must almost by definition be in robust health. The dwindling hives don't swarm and can be regarded as having health issues eg poor queen, disease, robbing (a sure fire disease spreader if ever there was one) I do not decry the isolation idea - far from it - but how often does a disease show up in a swarm? Any opinions?

My colonies are the best I’ve ever seen them. Healthy and strong.

 

[Sutty]

I've had bees scouting one of my bait hives in particular for quite a few days. I got back from my local supplier (buying extra supers) about 5pm to find a large swarm pitched on my solar wax extractor which was about 4-5 feet from the bait hive.
I've a feeling this is the swarm that has been checking out the bait hive rather than a new swarm from one of my hives ("shouldn't be swarming" though done some odd things recently!) that has aimed for the bait hive but been attracted by the very warm and bee-smelly wax extractor. There are often bees checking it out when it's warm!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sometimes I get the impression that the prevailing view is that it's far too dangerous to take swarms because they'll probably be carrying disease.

James

I have had a swarm into my bait hive every year for ten years and they have always been ok.

 

[Erichalfbee]

The dwindling hives don't swarm

Sometimes they do. Bees with high varroa load can eave the hive...though whether you can call that a swarm I can't say. The tiny swarm video I've posted on a few occasions came from my tree box one April after a horrid later summer when I had to feed all my hives and I presumed they were a starvation swarm

 

[ericbeaumont]

successful , thriving overpopulated hives then they must almost by definition be in robust health

Not necessarily, though I agree with your premise, Garry.

I've seen an Inspector find EFB as you describe, in an otherwise bursting colony about five feet high, as well as more likely strugglers.

A worry is the sub-clinical nature of disease carried by bees, and these days I interrogate swarms far more robustly.

 

[Ian123]

Swarms can carry diseases in 1 instance many years ago an old guy I helped brought AFB back to his apiary.
It was the only hive in a site of 12 that developed the disease about a month after arrival. It didn’t ever show up again so it’s a reasonable assumption!

Swarms can carry high varroa loads and a number of times I’ve seen large swarms initially develop well then dwindle rapidly with dwv and obvious varroa.

On the plus side serious issues appear rare, but if you’re in an area that’s had problems I would be very cautious.

 

[Jules59]

Some sort of "Isolation apiary" for the swarms makes a lot of sense, as does hitting them with an OA vape whilst broodless or with uncapped brood.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Some sort of "Isolation apiary" for the swarms makes a lot of sense, as does hitting them with an OA vape whilst broodless or with uncapped brood.

I agree I vape all my swarms I catch collect , interesting most have had light mite drops this season.
I have a designated apiary just for swarms on one of the hills .

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The dwindling hives don't swarm and can be regarded as having health issues

The fact they are dwindling can often be a trigger for swarming - the bees trying to reboot themselves

but how often does a disease show up in a swarm?

more often than you think
Only last season I had a colony with CBPV swarm.

 

[Erichalfbee]

more often than you think
Only last season I had a colony with CBPV swarm.

That would fix itself better than a beekeeper could I imagine.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The part that stayed in the apiary are thriving now - just put them in a Demaree