Commercial beekeepers and swarms.

[Newbeeneil]

A friend of mine has a small woodland with a semi derelict hut on it. He noticed recently that some bees were taking an interest in the void below the roof and asked if I would put a bait hive up as he didn't want bees to set up home in the hut as he has plans to reverb it.
I set up a bait hive and over the season I have picked up 3 prime swarms in the same box.
After looking on google earth and seeing what looked like hives I investigated further and found that a local commercial concern had about 40 hives 100yrds from the hut. I'm pretty sure that all three swarms were from this apiary as the scouts all came and went in that direction.
Now the question, is it usual for a commercial beekeeper to not mark or clip their queens? All swarms had laying unmarked queens!
I heard from one of the health food shops I supply that the apiary owner likes to keep the bees as "natural" as possible!

 

[Curly green finger's]

A friend of mine has a small woodland with a semi derelict hut on it. He noticed recently that some bees were taking an interest in the void below the roof and asked if I would put a bait hive up as he didn't want bees to set up home in the hut as he has plans to reverb it.
I set up a bait hive and over the season I have picked up 3 prime swarms in the same box.
After looking on google earth and seeing what looked like hives I investigated further and found that a local commercial concern had about 40 hives 100yrds from the hut. I'm pretty sure that all three swarms were from this apiary as the scouts all came and went in that direction.
Now the question, is it usual for a commercial beekeeper to not mark or clip their queens? All swarms had laying unmarked queens!
I heard from one of the health food shops I supply that the apiary owner likes to keep the bees as "natural" as possible!

Sounds like you've gained someone else's lack of being able to perform swarm control.
He's losing money, doesn't sound like much of an outfit to me.
How was the varroa situation Neil?

It's good practice to mark queen's.. I'm not so concerned with clipping though.
Out of 35 colonys this season I've marked 32 and I've lost two swarms..
And I'm still gutted about the swarms, I managed to recover both swarms.

 

[enrico]

It depends on many factors. I have a colleague who has 20 odd hives and does no swarm control but collects all the swarms he can that he loses. Being a tree surgeon helps. He makes new hives up with the swarms and combines as necessary to keep large hives. He supplies many local outlets and has enough honey for them and him. The way he treats his bees suits him and works.
E

 

[mbc]

I know of a semi commercial beekeeper who's beekeeping activities don't venture much beyond gathering his hives and honey in the autumn to feed and treat then placing the hives back in out apiaries with two supers on each from the start of the season to next be seen to at the autumn gather, works for him but could be a nuisance locally I suppose with lost swarms.

 

[SDM]

This year clipping has saved me a lot of swarms, probably as many as 25. Weather conditions causing a 4 or 5 day shut in, winds often over 50mph making even unstrapping a poly hive a drama let alone any sort of inspections. You can't get around 14 sites in time to stop swarms on the first decent day after bad weather. Sure I'd have found some of them but some would have been too well hidden in bramble or gorse to find .
It's a valuable( invaluable?) tool once you've got more than 50 to keep tabs on.

 

[Newbeeneil]

As I said originally I get the feeling that owner wants to keep bees without clipping. She's obviously not been very successful this year as I've picked up 3 from about 40 hives. She has another 200 dotted around the locality so I hate to think how many swarms have issued from that lot!

With regard to Varroa I don't bother to check, I let them start laying then vape them.

 

[enrico]

As I said originally I get the feeling that owner wants to keep bees without clipping. She's obviously not been very successful this year as I've picked up 3 from about 40 hives. She has another 200 dotted around the locality so I hate to think how many swarms have issued from that lot!

With regard to Varroa I don't bother to check, I let them start laying then vape them.

But does it matter that they swarm? It may be considered antisocial but they are just following their instincts! Tin hat on!!!!
E

 

[user 6127]

As I said originally I get the feeling that owner wants to keep bees without clipping. She's obviously not been very successful this year as I've picked up 3 from about 40 hives. She has another 200 dotted around the locality so I hate to think how many swarms have issued from that lot!

So next year you'll set up 5 bait hives?

 

[Erichalfbee]

But does it matter that they swarm? It may be considered antisocial but they are just following their instincts! Tin hat on!!!!
E

Depends where they make their new home though doesn’t it?

 

[Michael Palmer]

I heard from one of the health food shops I supply that the apiary owner likes to keep the bees as "natural" as possible!

Bonus!