First Swarm Sweep Stake!

[SumpNut]

Heavens.
Has the weather been good in Derbyshire?
A charged queen cup is a queen cell btw

Not really, but I think a flow has just come on, they seem to be very very busy right now and plenty of frames dripped as a turned them. Overall it is very surprising, earliest swarm like behaviour I've ever seen by a month or so.

But this is the largest colony I've ever had, they seem to have comes through the winter with huge numbers and currently there must have been 10 maybe 11 frames of brood in there and the double brood is packed with bees from top to bottom.

I had a little panic and knocked them back, I think I shall have to go back in early next week and double check. If they are genuinely preparing to swarm I'm not sure what to do, normally I'd nuc the queen and leave the colony requeen, but at this time of the year I can't see a successful mating.

 

[North End Bees]

normally I'd nuc the queen and leave the colony requeen, but at this time of the year I can't see a successful mating.

On the other hand, at least you'll still have the old Queen to unite back if the new one doesn't get mated. Better than losing her if you miss a QC.

 

[Swarm]

I checked on the hives yesterday and there are new residents in my bait hive.

No idea how long they've been there, because I wasn't expecting anything due to poor weather and haven't checked for 2 weeks. They have somehow filled four pre-drawn combs with capped honey and flooded the brood nest with nectar. I've split the four frames up between my existing hives, which were low on stores, and have given the swarm two more empty drawn frames and another undrawn. The bees are much darker than my Buckfasts, and don't seem to be fazed by the cool rainy weather we're having. I can't super the bait hive, so I'll have to knock something together quickly. Nice calm bees, but they drip off the frames like liquid when I pick them up. Managing them may be a challenge in summer....

I'll try and post photos next time, but it's hard juggling 12x14s and a phone at the same time.

You removed four frames of stores that the swarm brought with them? If your colonies are low on stores, feed them, it's a bad idea to share their stores around your colonies, you don't know anything about their health.
Did you feed the swarm? They will probably need it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I checked on the hives yesterday and there are new residents in my bait hive.

No idea how long they've been there, because I wasn't expecting anything due to poor weather and haven't checked for 2 weeks. They have somehow filled four pre-drawn combs with capped honey and flooded the brood nest with nectar. I've split the four frames up between my existing hives, which were low on stores, and have given the swarm two more empty drawn frames and another undrawn. The bees are much darker than my Buckfasts, and don't seem to be fazed by the cool rainy weather we're having. I can't super the bait hive, so I'll have to knock something together quickly. Nice calm bees, but they drip off the frames like liquid when I pick them up. Managing them may be a challenge in summer....

I'll try and post photos next time, but it's hard juggling 12x14s and a phone at the same time.

Pictures please
Call me a cynic but …….

 

[The Stung]

"You removed four frames of stores that the swarm brought with them? If your colonies are low on stores, feed them, it's a bad idea to share their stores around your colonies, you don't know anything about their health.
Did you feed the swarm? They will probably need it."

I panicked a bit. In hindsight I should have pulled the stores and extracted them by crushing, but I didn't want to lose the drawn frames at a time when they're so badly needed. I'm assuming there's a flow on now and I don't want to end up with syrup through over-feeding. I last fed two weeks ago, and I'm keeping an eye on things.

I put the 2 undrawn frames of foundation I'd brought along for my existing hives into the swarm hive, which seems keen to draw comb right now and was honey-bound so couldn't set up a brood nest. I can't super it right now either as I need more kit. It still has 2 drawn frames of uncapped stores with bees on and 2 empty slots as well as the 2 foundation. I added half a pollen pattie as that's the thing they don't seem to have right now.

I moved four empty drawn frames from my full-sized but probably broodless hive to the healthy colony that was a nuc and urgently needs brood space to expand into. The healthy colony didn't receive anything from the swarm, and has a pollen pattie on.

I put the four frames of capped stores at the back of the probably broodless hive because the more time passes the more I think they're already doomed, and I'm just waiting for a decent inspection day to confirm it. They or their resources will probably be combined with the swarm at some point anyway, I can't see them having much time left to get laying. I put half a pollen pattie on and some more 1:1 over the other 6 frames in the hope something happens.

 

[Antipodes]

I wasn't really being serious I'm amazed a swarm has occurred so soon though. Makes me wonder what chance the virgin queen(s) have of mating successfully.

James

Have a look in that article (under April Requeening) you posted about Bee Art.

 

[The Stung]

Pictures please
Call me a cynic but …….

OK. Looks like Wednesday will be photo day, because I'm not at work then and I don't mind lifting the lid briefly when it's over 11°c

 

[Erichalfbee]

Pictures please
Call me a cynic but …….

Maybe @The Stung intended to post this tomorrow?

 

[North End Bees]

It still has 2 drawn frames of uncapped stores with bees on and 2 empty slots as well as the 2 foundation.
.

Just to clarify, it's a 6 frame box with 2 frames of nectar, 2 frames of foundation and empty space for 2 more frames?
So why did you pull the other frames?

Is there brood?

 

[JamezF]

Have a look in that article (under April Requeening) you posted about Bee Art.

I'll do that

James

 

[The Stung]

Maybe @The Stung intended to post this tomorrow?

Just to clarify, it's a 6 frame box with 2 frames of nectar, 2 frames of foundation and empty space for 2 more frames?
So why did you pull the other frames?

Is there brood?

That's what it looks like now the frames are pulled. Before it was four frames of freshly-capped stores and two frames with mainly uncapped stores and a little space. Also brace comb and the beginnings of extra comb on top of the frames.

I didn't lift the last two uncapped frames out to check for brood because I didn't want to chill them, but the weight suggests still mainly stores. I'm guessing no brood yet.

I pulled 4 frames because I thought 2 frames would be enough stores for the swarm given that they're making a surplus. The aim is to return with the final 2 frames of foundation before they finish drawing out the new two. It now gives me 10 drawn frames in each BB of my other hives, which felt useful at the time. I should probably have extracted the stores by crushing instead, to minimise risk of disease.

The weather is forecast to be sunny without high winds and around 8-11° this week, with very abundant forsythia, blackthorn and flowering cherry in full bloom within 1/4 mile of the hives. There are also lots of dandelion, grape muscari, crocus, daffodil etc. They've been out for weeks, it's just the rain and wind that have limited things. I expect to be adding supers to the full, healthy hive imminently. I am hoping at least one of the other two are queenright and can be combined.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I should probably have extracted the stores by crushing instead, to minimise risk of disease.

which is usually carried in the honey.
To be honest, I would never share comb/stores from a colony of unknown provenance until they had gone through quarantine and I was sure they were clear of disease

 

[Ian123]

Hi Stung I have to say a swarm 2/3 weeks ago even in a fantastic Spring would be unusual, given the wet weather we’ve had this past month I suggest it’s very unlikely. Is it possible you missed it from a late swarm last season? I’m in a very mild part of the Uk and we’ve had cherry and blackthorn out since late feb but there’s certainly no flow and very few days the bees have even been able to collect pollen. So whilst it’s flowering and with low temps there’s likely to be minimal nectar available.
It sounds like there’s ample stores in the bait hive perhaps rather disproportionate to the number of bees, this doesn’t really sound like a new swarm given current conditions. Plus the fact so much stores are capped, I generally find they can be reluctant to cap whist a decent flow is on!
So I’m not suggesting anything wrong but I’d bet on a late autumn swarm all things considered! Funny with all this talk of late and early swarms as some beekeepers claim they only swarm in May
Please post us the pics of the frames they occupy and even the stores they have or you shifted it may help shed some light.

For any reading this still post your guesses I think the games still on

 

[Antipodes]

Hi Stung I have to say a swarm 2/3 weeks ago even in a fantastic Spring would be unusual, given the wet weather we’ve had this past month I suggest it’s very unlikely. Is it possible you missed it from a late swarm last season? I’m in a very mild part of the Uk and we’ve had cherry and blackthorn out since late feb but there’s certainly no flow and very few days the bees have even been able to collect pollen. So whilst it’s flowering and with low temps there’s likely to be minimal nectar available.
It sounds like there’s ample stores in the bait hive perhaps rather disproportionate to the number of bees, this doesn’t really sound like a new swarm given current conditions. Plus the fact so much stores are capped, I generally find they can be reluctant to cap whist a decent flow is on!
So I’m not suggesting anything wrong but I’d bet on a late autumn swarm all things considered! Funny with all this talk of late and early swarms as some beekeepers claim they only swarm in May
Please post us the pics of the frames they occupy and even the stores they have or you shifted it may help shed some light.

For any reading this still post your guesses I think the games still on

Oh come on, clearly they swarmed on the 27th. Time for my prize.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Oh come on, clearly they swarmed on the 27th. Time for my prize.

A dead queen?

 

[Ian123]

Oh come on, clearly they swarmed on the 27th. Time for my prize.

Local delivery not available to Tasmania I’m afraid. Although the Smart arse award could be international?

 

[Antipodes]

Although the Smart arse award could be international?

At least it's something. I'll take it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Good to have this back up on the potting shed roof.
8th of May last year
19th April the year before

 

[The Stung]

I said I'd take some photos today showing the bees inside the bait hive and also showing the four frames of stores I put into the other hive. The forecast has changed and I'm not comfortable opening the hives up at 8° in the rain - I know I'm still far too slow and would do more harm than good. Next good day looks like Sunday.

I will try for a photo/video of the bait hive and if I am lucky I'll catch some activity at the entrance in a gap in the rain.

 

[SumpNut]

I had to do a quick inspection today as work commitments won't allow later this week, fortunately there was a short break in the rain.

I found many play cups, all were empty but one. It had a freshly laid upright standing egg in it, no royal jelly. I'm feeling 50:50 on this, could the queen have popped it in there but the workers not be feeling swarmy so have not fed? Or did I simply happen to find it early enough that they hadn't started feeding it yet...

Either way, I think this calls for another inspection on Monday, if there are still swarm signs I'll have to get the queen out of there and let the girls have a go. I still think it is too early for a decent mating, but clearly the girls have other ideas!