Caught my first Swarm

[Jon.21]

On my second year of beekeeping and caught this swarm in a 14x12 nuc a couple of weeks ago. Suspect this was a virgin queen from my own apiary about 50m away as I saw a queen hatch same day (one I must have missed when knocking down queen cells as part of artificial split) so suspect there could have been more I missed and as the hive was rammed full with bees from research this can instigate the 1st queen to hatch and then swarm If there are other cells in the hive. Its been 2 weeks now since they were put in the nuc so going to check how they are getting on this week.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes a little cast by the looks
Might have been an idea to dummy them down to three frames.
Have you fed them?
If the weather has been good you might be in luck.
I got a similar size swarm from the”wild”bees in the garden last year and they have three supers on.
Let us know how they are?

 

[Jon.21]

Not fed them as the weather was good and a good flow on. Will let you know how they are when I inspect them.

 

[enrico]

You will never forget your first swarm! Bit like sex!!!!!!

 

[Jon.21]

Not sure I’d go that far but it was certainly a memorable experience and got the adrenalin pumping.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

You will never forget your first swarm! Bit like sex!!!!!!

Oh dear. There's a whole raft of possible comments but children might read them

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think my first swarm was far more memorable

 

[enrico]

I think my first swarm was far more memorable

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

funnily enough my first swarm was all over someone's parlour curtains as well.

 

[Erichalfbee]

funnily enough my first swarm was all over someone's parlour curtains as well.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think it might be a good idea to stop. We might give the beginners a bad impression.

 

[Ian123]

I think it might be a good idea to stop. We might give the beginners a bad impression.

Beginner swarm collectors….or..?

 

[Jon.21]

Hi. Update on the swarm I collected 9th may.
Unable to inspect till now but went in yesterday to have a look.
4 out of 6 frames in nuc drawn out. 2 with sealed worker brood and other 2 with stores. 3 off capped queen cells. No eggs or larvae. No sign of queen. Bees now down to covering 2/3 frames.
Knocked 2 down and left one. Looks like supercedure as cells on face of frame.
My thoughts are that the virgin queen went out and got mated. Laid eggs till a week or two ago (hence why no larvae or eggs now) then either died or bees decided to supercedure her ? Does this conclusion feel like that most likely and if so is this normal for a swarm ? Reason I’m going down this route is queen cells look fairly recently capped and based on there being no eggs or larvae makes me think this wasn’t a swarm as would expect to see eggs or larvae if queen had recently departed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

sounds more like the queen died and they put out emergency QCs

 

[Erichalfbee]

Agree sound like emergency cells

 

[Jon.21]

Thanks all.