First swarming experiences - any thoughts?

[Rover Girl]

Hi
Just as a learner any thoughts on my first swarming experiences would be appreciated!

Swarm 2nd June - lost!
5th June - Opened up and broke down all but one QC
9th June checked and only saw the one big QC....which should have hatched 10th June?
Hoped all would be well and she would make her mating flight last weekend...
but on 18th June we had a swarm(cast?) which OH managed to catch, and then lost. Same again yesterday, which we managed to capture and rehive thanks to much great advice.

First question - Is it possible that yesterday's swarm went back to the hive and then came out the next day (it was in the same place in the hedge both days).

And my bigger question - I though that all would be safe with one QC a week after the swarm, but obviously not. I guess I must have missed one, but it would have been very well hidden and it must have hatched before my big QC...?

I'm opening up the main hive tonight to see what I can find!
Thanks

 

[For want of a better word]

Advice is to put a queen excluder on the bottom of the hive when putting a swarm in a hive.
Take out after 3 days.

Possibly you missed some queen cells.. hence multiple casts.

May be worth investing in less swarmy bees!

 

[SimonB]

I guess I must have missed one, but it would have been very well hidden

They can be, having learnt my lesson I now clear as many bees from each frame as possible when checking for QCs. Do not shake any frame with QCs on that you wish to keep though.

it must have hatched before my big QC...?

Why? From your timeline I would say that your 'one big QC' queen is long gone in a cast, and that you have had at least one cast since, possibly more that you have not noticed.

I'm opening up the main hive tonight to see what I can find!

I would inspect asap, you may have lost more bees than you realise and your colony numbers have dwindled considerably. If so then perhaps consider reuiniting with your caught swarm at the earliest opportunity. I reunited a cast swarm on the same day and they seem to be fine, but I am no expert and it may not be good advice. If you do though, make sure to destroy all QCs in the original hive.

 

[brianmc]

Mating swarms perhaps?