Hello fro sunny essex

[WBCsteve]

Just a little bit about me, I kept bees about 25 years ago with three Langston hives. Got married kids etc new jobs as well, so beekeeping fell behind in the pecking order.
Did keep some equipment, but not the hives. Got the bug again and inherited from my wife’s cousin several WBC hives, with all the trimming inc extractor and honey tank. So I’m back in business! But just had a few family health issues to deal with so I thought right next year will be when I’ll be organised even if it was one hive.
Anyway on Saturday a swarm collected in field on some corn stems, shall I or shan’t i ? Anyway I went for it, collected swarm in a swarm box given to me, then hurriedly knocked together some undrawn frames, bought a rapid feeder and then set the hive up in a secluded and sheltered area in garden. Did read that I could put a queen excluder under brood box to keep queen there ? So I did this and put the colony in their new home. Not sure though if it was a mated or unmated queen, bit worried if she hasn’t been mated I’m keeping her in? Any thoughts please? So I plan to remove this in a couple of days, and hope all is well with them, not a very big swarm , could be a cast? They have space and plenty of feed, so hopefully they might start drawing foundation.
so there you have it, bees only a few days ago and I’m off so hopefully I can expand this colony for next year. Is it usual to swarm in late july?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hi and welcome. Great that you've started again...though I think you might have learned your lesson the first time round
Yep...swarms in July ...let them fly, they say....... but that just alludes to the expectations of a crop
I'd take the QX off straight away.

 

[WBCsteve]

Thank you for your reply, I will take qx off asap.

 

[thorn]

Welcome to the forum.
I was brought up in Chelmsford in the 50s and 60s.

 

[ericbeaumont]

not a very big swarm , could be a cast

Might be better off in a smaller poly nuc box: matching the nest to the box gives better results.

Whatever you decide, Steve, reduce the entrance to one or two bee spaces to help the colony defend itself, because a queenless cast is easy meat for wasps, just getting going round here.

 

[BeeAdmin]

Hello and welcome. Enjoy the forums and the bees.

 

[WBCsteve]

Might be better off in a smaller poly nuc box: matching the nest to the box gives better results.

Whatever you decide, Steve, reduce the entrance to one or two bee spaces to help the colony defend itself, because a queenless cast is easy meat for wasps, just getting going round here.

Thank you yes have reduced entrance, but haven’t got a nuc box could I put a dummy board in brood box to keep them one end, they are over three frames at moment.

 

[ericbeaumont]

could I put a dummy board in brood box to keep them one end

Yes, and fill the void with blocks of building insulation board - Kingspan and the like.

 

[WBCsteve]

Some more advice from all please, Bees are doing well hive inspection the other day , over four National frames each frame good quantity of honey and still capped brood. Still feeding as was a small swarm collected. Think they are evicting the drones see attached video. Any thoughts from the community please. Taking food quickly by the way, full rapid feeder every 48hours.