How often to check hives

[hedgerow pete]

the big problem i see at the moment is so many people are breeding so many bees there must by shear numbers be a massive stock of poor or should i say unsuitable bee queens out there, i have seen some of the worst and poorest nucs ever this year, with people cashing in on the tidal wave of newbees starting up, i personal forecast over the next 2 to 4 years a massive increase of swarmy bees and i mean a massive increase, because i never breed from a queen that has swarmy tendances or produces swarm cells etc etc etc , this means that over the years and it is years i breed down the urge to swarm with 11 number 12 by 14 frames and on top another 4 supers there is enough space for my type of bees to live a comfortable life, everyone has differant types and differant breeds require differant style but my style suits me and my bees

 

[David P]

At risk of debunking the poor queens/early supercedure etc theories, and based only on a thought not experience. Is it possible that this year has been a swarmy year for no reason more complicated than the weather. Two years of crap weather followed by a nice warm spring and early summer is surely gonna trgger a survival instinct somewhere.
Possibly these cases of early supercedure/swarming unexpectantly that people are reporting could be down not to failing queens but the bees deciding yep that ones ok time to make another and leave to start elsewhere.

David

 

[victor meldrew]

A point worth considering , bees have been looking after themselves for millenia, over coming the weather, varroa afb efb small hive beetle the lot , long before mankind took an interest in their welfare .
The only thing new to them being agro-chemicals .

John Wilkinson.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have been wondering what price the cry that was going up of Eureka, queens are suffering from some odd complaint over the last three years?

I called it weather and was condemned.

I still call it weather.

PH

 

[hedgerow pete]

i totaly agree with your ideas on the weather, but! i have seen alot of people take advantage of the queen cells being produced to turn on an early swarm for profitable reasons and i am concerned that a lot of new beekeepers at working with below par queens, or is it me just being pariniod again?

 

[Poly Hive]

I agree with you hedgerow and I am far from happy with the current position I am in. I'd far far rather have your ilk of bee to work with.

However when I wanted bees there were none to be had. I have now produced a years supply of honey for the hotel and a few nucs besides. I am hoping over the next year or so I can manage to change over again.

PH

 

[jon]

The only thing new to them being agro-chemicals .

John Wilkinson.

..and the chemicals beekeepers put in the hive.
Remember the state of the US colonies in that recent BBC documentary.

 

[victor meldrew]

..and the chemicals beekeepers put in the hive.
Remember the state of the US colonies in that recent BBC documentary.

A different ball game over there .
They get what they deserve

John Wilkinson

 

[Poly Hive]

I well remember reading in the ABJ column adds for the almonds.

10,00 colonies wanted.
20,000 colonies wanted

And so on.

And an outfit who's e boast was any amount of bees to any location on the continental USA with in 48 hours.

And you wonder that the bees were stressed?

As John so rightly says a completely different ball game.

Different bees, different management and different climate. Which is why I flag this up every time folks get a bit enthused about American books.

PH

 

[hedgerow pete]

i have read several not for information bit for a laugh they are funny in there ideas at times