Defensive Colony

[BaconWizard]

If you have another box eg nuc I would immediately put the queen and a few frames with no queen cells into it with a few shakes of bees. Capped cells mean swarming is imminent.
Then reduce the queen cells to 2 on different frames.
Protect the sides of one of the cells with eg aluminium foil to stop the bees destroying it.
Kill the nasty queen and add the frame with the protected cell.
Leave alone for the queens to emerge, get mated and start laying.

May I ask the reason for leaving 2 QCs but only protecting one?

 

[Sutty]

May I ask the reason for leaving 2 QCs but only protecting one?

Protecting the one that was going into a "foreign" hive where the bees are more likely to tear it down.

 

[Chunky Plumpy]

Great job. You were well prepared and trusted your PPE.
Let’s hope you don’t have to do it again.
I’d look in the requeening colony in three weeks or ten days if you want to check the QC is open.

Thanks @Erichalfbee, I do have a newbie clarification question for you.

Is the 10 days if I want reassurance that a queen emerged; that would be the first time I saw a cell post queen emergence? Alternatively three weeks if I’m confident enough to just wait for emergence, mating done and queen starting work?

If so I might check the nice hive at 10 days, the angry mob can kiss my a@#e having stung me yet again today! Cheers, CP.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is the 10 days if I want reassurance that a queen emerged; that would be the first time I saw a cell post queen emergence? Alternatively three weeks if I’m confident enough to just wait for emergence, mating done and queen starting work?

yes - ten days if you really really want to check whether she has emerged, personally I'd leave them to their own devices for a month - the same for both hives. Just trust in the bees.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. What he said.

 

[Chunky Plumpy]

Hmmm, that was unexpected!

Glorious day here so I took a break from work for a brew and a wander. As I did it was impossible not to notice the noise and mass of bees outside the hives so I rushed back to get my suit so I could take a good look. I returned in only a few minutes and all was very calm and quiet... I suspect I just experienced my first swarm!?

I was super gentle with the frames hosting the chosen queen cell but that means I could have missed one tucked away somewhere obscured by bees (at least it should be a nice queen). Busy week learning but does this mean I missed a queen cell and another queen has emerged and swarmed, or is it normal for there to be a bit of excitement when the new queen emerges and leaves to mate? Cheers, CP?

 

[enrico]

When bees are swarming you don't need a suit. Let them fly round you it's one of the most amazing feeling that nature offers! Check all the trees and shrubs within 20 metres or so. You never know, they will be in the initial stage if the swarm. Keep an eye on scouts round your chimney! Have a smokey fire ready

 

[Sutty]

You probably missed a QC and you saw the tail end of a swarm. As Enrico says, look around to see if you can see where they are pitching/have pitched.
With luck you'll get to collect the swarm!

 

[Chunky Plumpy]

When bees are swarming you don't need a suit. Let them fly round you it's one of the most amazing feeling that nature offers! Check all the trees and shrubs within 20 metres or so. You never know, they will be in the initial stage if the swarm. Keep an eye on scouts round your chimney! Have a smokey fire ready

If this is the angry mob I’d not risk it… got stung Saturday after many attacks and the good lady stung on the eyelid yesterday. You’d think we have them in a window box but we have about an acre of gardens to avoid them in!!!!

It’s naughty but a little bit of me is hoping it’s the angry hive that’s halved itself as it’s half as many angry bees to contend with as they ‘recycle’ from new brood

Maybe next time I’ll stand amongst them… maybe!! Cheers, CP.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

does this mean I missed a queen cell and another queen has emerged and swarmed, or is it normal for there to be a bit of excitement when the new queen emerges and leaves to mate? Cheers, CP?

If you were expecting a new queen to emerge a few days ago, what you may have witnessed is a mating 'swarm' when the bees get over excited at the new queen going out to see the boys and they follow her, realise they've made a mistake and sheepishly return to the hive to await her return

 

[Chunky Plumpy]

If you were expecting a new queen to emerge a few days ago, what you may have witnessed is a mating 'swarm' when the bees get over excited at the new queen going out to see the boys and they follow her, realise they've made a mistake and sheepishly return to the hive to await her return

It could have been, I wasn’t sure if the new queen leaving was a bit of a ‘ceremony’ so all the more reason I’m glad I didn’t head on into the party in my shorts and flip-flops Thanks, CP.

 

[Erichalfbee]

When bees are swarming you don't need a suit. Let them fly round you

My party trick for the benefit of onlookers used to be to put my bare hand gently into a bivouacked swarm....

 

[Chunky Plumpy]

My party trick for the benefit of onlookers used to be to put my bare hand gently into a bivouacked swarm....

If it wasn’t for the fact my original hive homes a very calm and passive colony, I’d think someone left the front door to the asylum wide open by mistake!

 

[The Poot]

If it wasn’t for the fact my original hive homes a very calm and passive colony, I’d think someone left the front door to the asylum wide open by mistake!

Notice the wording - “used to be”- never, ever again!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Notice the wording - “used to be”- never, ever again!

I’ve just never encountered a bivouacked swarm in public.
I’d do it again. It feels like a warm furry animal

 

[ericbeaumont]

bare hand gently into a bivouacked swarm....

A hanging swarm can be stroked like a cat and is just as warm to the touch.

 

[ericbeaumont]

half as many angry bees to contend with

Maybe so, but the swarm will find a new home and as a colony, its defensive nature will now cause a problem for someone else.

 

[Newbeeneil]

My party trick for the benefit of onlookers used to be to put my bare hand gently into a bivouacked swarm....

I rarely wear any protection when collecting swarms as you say you can scoop bees up to put them in a box with you bare hands.
Although I went to help a local newbee catch her swarm which was hanging from a branch of a shrub in their garden and wished I’d put my veil on. I just went in as normal with a poly nuc underneath the gave the branch a swift shake unfortunately the cluster caught the edge of the nuc and 50% of the bees erupted into the air and 3 stung me behind the ear and it itched for ages!
I decided I’d wear my veil next time but tonight saw me picking up a cardboard box placed on a grounded swarm by the homeowner on my instructions - until i can get there in 5hrs time!
As I carefully righted the box and closed the flaps the house owner was mightily impressed until one bee found a gap and stung my finger!

 

[polymath]

I rarely wear any protection when collecting swarms as you say you can scoop bees up to put them in a box with you bare hands.
Although I went to help a local newbee catch her swarm which was hanging from a branch of a shrub in their garden and wished I’d put my veil on. I just went in as normal with a poly nuc underneath the gave the branch a swift shake unfortunately the cluster caught the edge of the nuc and 50% of the bees erupted into the air and 3 stung me behind the ear and it itched for ages!
I decided I’d wear my veil next time but tonight saw me picking up a cardboard box placed on a grounded swarm by the homeowner on my instructions - until i can get there in 5hrs time!
As I carefully righted the box and closed the flaps the house owner was mightily impressed until one bee found a gap and stung my finger!

Sorry even the late Jon Hamer who never wore a veil or gloves always donned a veil when dealing with other people's bees. You never know what you are going to get. Why take the risk.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Sorry even the late Jon Hamer who never wore a veil or gloves always donned a veil when dealing with other people's bees. You never know what you are going to get. Why take the risk.

I agree, it is foolhardy and I would not encourage anyone to do it but the truth is in the last 7 years of beekeeping and collecting many swarms I have only been stung a dozen or so times so have become lax!