Here and Gone...

[Ru78]

Afternoon all,
Not having much luck with bees at the moment...

Our (me and the misses, although it's really her project!) first hive of bees died over the winter, no idea why. Our friendly local bee man said dispose of them and all honey, clean hive by singing and put in new foundation... which we've done.

Monday evening he rang (our friendly keeper) to say he had a swarm for us, off his hives and we should come and get it... we then followed instructions, tipping it into the now refurnished brood box (national), and added some honey to the frames to get them started. One hive of bees... one very happy girlfriend...

Tuesday morning, still there happily buzzing in and out... Tuesday evening, no sign of them... and one very miserable girlfriend...

So 2 questions:
1) What did we do wrong, that the swarm upped and left?
2) Where at this time of year do we find more bees (we're feeling a little shy of asking the local keeper for yet more bees!)?

Thanks,
Ru

 

[johnmcc]

Where are you?

 

[Ru78]

Hi,
Sorry... We're in East Sussex, between Seaford and Eastbourne!
Thanks
Ru

 

[MandF]

I believe most people put a queen excluder UNDER the brood box (above the floor) to stop the queen from leaving until the bees are settled. Then remove when the queen is laying.

If it is a cast swarm, ie a virgin queen, she may be small enough to fit through a QE anyhow.

I believe it also helps if their new home smells nice to them - ie use the same things as you might in a bait hive - an old (clean/disease free) brood comb, a few drops of lemongrass oil. But if they want to leave, and the queen can fit through an excluder, they will go anyway!

 

[djg]

Hi Ru78, Sounds like you were unlucky to be given a swarm with itchy feet.

If your hive has on Open Mesh Floor, I have been told that you may want to lightly tape some newspaper under it for a couple of days to provide a shadier environment for them to settle into.

Better luck next time !

 

[jackbee]

nothing you did wrong i would think - just a swarm being a swarm and not liking their new home.

Are you members of local assoc - they sometimes have swarm lists, might have missed the boat this year.

Last resort is buying a nuc but that gets expensive

 

[jackbee]

If your hive has on Open Mesh Floor, I have been told that you may want to lightly tape some newspaper under it for a couple of days to provide a shadier environment for them to settle into.

where does the sun shine from in your parts

 

[psafloyd]

where does the sun shine from in your parts

I could draw you a picture where it shines from my parts, but I am sure you could just guess...

 

[djg]

jackbee,

Have you ever lain in bed in the dark with light coming in from under a door?

 

[jackbee]

I could draw you a picture where it shines from my parts, but I am sure you could just guess...

 

[jackbee]

jackbee,

Have you ever lain in bed in the dark with light coming in from under a door?

was just being silly, the sun was shining, all was right in the world

 

[plumberman]

Afternoon all,
Our friendly local bee man said dispose of them and all honey, clean hive by singing and put in new foundation... which we've done.


Ru

Any particular tune?

 

[oliver90owner]

Ru78,

I believe most people put a queen excluder UNDER the brood box (above the floor) to stop the queen from leaving until the bees are settled. Then remove when the queen is laying.

If it is a cast swarm, ie a virgin queen, she may be small enough to fit through a QE anyhow. (my underlining)

I rarely put a Q/E under the brood but it should stop the bees from leaving. I very much doubt it is done with the majority of swarms.

However if a cast swarm (virgin queen) you must remove any Q/E to allow her to mate or you a nearly certain to finish with a drone layer if you wait until she starts laying!.

The idea that virgins can get through the Q/E is tosh. Some may, but so can some mated queens! The vast majority of virgin or mated queens will not be able to negotiate a Q/E. It is the thorax size that is the important dimension and that does not change after emergence.

You really need to tell you local friendly bee man that they absconded. He will understand. He may even enquire as to how the are doing. Further, it might be embarrassing if they had returned to his apiary and she was a marked queen!

Honesty is always the best policy!!

RAB

 

[nelletap]

Is there a critical period beyond which a swarm can be considered to have settled or it it more about actions and whether they have eggs? I felt a swarm form Sunday 10th june was not 'settled'. I had not seen the queen. I worried for some days but they now seem much more settled (10 days on). I am feeding them. Can I assume that after this time they are not likely to leave?

Tricia

 

[oliver90owner]

They are unlikely to go that late, but I once lost a swarm due to disrupting the broodnest as it had been built from the cownboard. Don't know how long they had been in there - probably best part of a week. Usually in and out in a couple days, if they are going.

If it was a prime, they willhave brood by now.

 

[Frenchie]

Hi RU78, join your local bee association (could be the same as mine which is Brighton and Lewes) and get on the swarm list.Can't praise my association enough I now have 4 colonies and all the help I need.

 

[Ru78]

Everyone,
Thank you for the thoughts and advice, always helpful to have some useful input. We've spoken to the swarm donater, who had another he kept on the same day, which absconded twice on him... so we feel better... although sad to be without bees!!

I've spent a bit of time this afternoon on the phone to the local swarm collectors, all have been really understanding and helpful, so will have to see what comes of that! I'm the next bit over from Brighton and Lewes!

As for where the sun shines out of... in this part of the UK its rarely seen so don't brag or everyone may come round looking!

Thanks again
Ru

 

[susbees]

Is there a critical period beyond which a swarm can be considered to have settled or it it more about actions and whether they have eggs?
Tricia

No. I hived a prime with a marked queen (ours) with QE under for three days as usual in May. She came back into lay and with a couple of frames of sealed brood...

...absconded. Unusual perhaps but true. And not a queen cup in sight.