Hello from north of Farnham (Surrey)

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Martin_B

New Bee
Joined
Jun 26, 2019
Messages
3
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0
Location
Farnham
Hive Type
National
Number of Hives
6
This summer will be my 4th summer with our little ladies, I still feel like I know absolutely nothing 😂.
Last year I was given a swarm that spat out at least five swarms over the summer once it was settled into its new hive. Two were re-homed into hives and the last one was re-combined with the hive, we also watched two disappear into the distance. I started last year with two hives and ended the year with seven.
My question is can I expect another interesting year with this hive or will it calm down, coz at this rate I’ll be a farmer next year
Regards
Martin
 
By about year 3 you definitely need a plan for keeping the number of colonies under control. Its something you dont really consider in the first couple of years.
I had just about cracked it then COVID came along and threw my plans into disarray. So I am wintering more colonies than intended again this year. Duh....
 
Hi and welcome, I would be looking to re queen next season.
Sounds like you have some very swarmy genetics there.
5 swarms from one colony that's a serious amount of swarms, something personally I wouldn't want to entertain.

Saying that about swarms, I'm very attached to a cast swarm going into there third year, but this is from a inherited queen. And she is family:)
 
Well, swarms do just happen but that is where swarm management comes in
One swarm is understandable......we all lose those but you have to get into the hive to prevent any more.
Have a look here An Apiary Guide to Swarm Control
As for calming down....the answer is that depends on you being proactive
 
I still feel like I know absolutely nothing
My question is can I expect another interesting year with this hive or will it calm down

What do you want to achieve?

Your learning, aptitude, commitment and input will determine what you get out of your beekeeping; roughly speaking, an average two-colony beekeeper takes 3 -5 years to become competent and avoid the work you describe.

Swarming will wave goodbye to your workforce and you (and maybe the colony) will have next to no honey; the swarm may become someone else's expensive problem; are you tired of interesting seasons? If so, it's time to have a plan and the kit to manage swarming and work with the colonies to get all of you a crop.

To identify the cause of swarming we'd have to know what hive and methods you use. Single brood National? Do you check for QCs regularly, beginning in spring? Read the colony and give space before it's needed?

Lastly: do you want to run seven?

PS: http://www.wbka.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/wbka-booklet-english-PDF.pdf
https://www.theapiarist.org/queen-cells-dont-panic/
 
Tough love your offering !
Perhaps my question was poorly written.
I’ll start again, I was kindly given a swarm no matter what I did it kept swarming, is this a common condition? I followed online and off line advice (you know where you ask three bee keepers and get four answers) and still it kept pumping out bees, could/will it settle down or should I re-queen which would be a shame as they have a lovely calm nature just this wonder lust to move on.
 
Martin you will need a swarm control plan, then once carried out after the initial intervention should be able to reduce swarming/casts from the same colony.
 
I’ll start again, I was kindly given a swarm no matter what I did it kept swarming, is this a common condition?
you get some colonies that just swarm and swarm, I collected a swarm once, nice bees so I persevered, they invariaby swarmed earlier every year, no excuse no reason, well before any beekeeper would think of taking preemptive action let alone reactive. The last time they swarmed was on two frames of brood and with load of room. Luckily the hive next door was in the middle of a Demarree so the swarm cells were all ripped out and a decent QC donated from queen number 8
 
Tough love your offering !
Perhaps my question was poorly written.
I’ll start again, I was kindly given a swarm no matter what I did it kept swarming, is this a common condition? I followed online and off line advice (you know where you ask three bee keepers and get four answers) and still it kept pumping out bees, could/will it settle down or should I re-queen which would be a shame as they have a lovely calm nature just this wonder lust to move on.
Well you could try and see what happens have a swarm prevention method in mind and try it, if it doesn't work then requeen.
Personnel I would be ordering a queen of known source or uniting with another colony. There are many more options.
Sqaushing the queen and letting them raise another to keep it local, aldepending what your local bees are like.
You have 6 colonys so you have options more than the above.
 
no matter what I did it kept swarming, is this a common condition?
What was it that you did, Martin?

I've re-read your original post and I'm assuming that the hived swarm swarmed again five times the same season. Correct?

What hive set-up did you use?
Did you carry out routine checks after hiving?

Yes, swarming is a common condition and nearly all bees swarm at some point; trick is to recognise and act on the signs, but to understand why yours swarmed five times (which is not unusual) more info is needed.
 
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