Is my new swarm too big for one brood box?

[Magners Bee]

Hi
We collected our first swarm on Wednesday which is a 'large' swarm - probably weighing 5-6 lbs of bees (3 ft long, 1ft diameter). We have been told around 40,000 bees.

We put it in the brood box with foundation on the frames but no frames had been drawn. After 3 days we put a feeder above in an empty super. The bees fill the brood box but have not moved into the upstairs super (which has no frames).

Today was cold so the bees haven't been out much but were collecting pollen yesterday and this afternoon. This next week is going to be warm (20degrees plus).

When looking through the crown board we can see bees on the top of the frames. Does the swarm need more space? Should we add a super with frames or wait until next weekend?

All views welcome!

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[VEG]

I dont put on a super until there is about 7 frames of brood (not bees).

 

[Poly Hive]

YOu mention brood box but do not say waht variety of so I am assuming it is a National.

On balance they will be a bit tight to start with but remember day by day your numbers are dropping as the bees die off. This will continue until three weeks have passed when the new brood will begin to emerge.

I would, stop feeding.

I would if the temperatures do actually rise consider putting on a super of foundation and excluder and see if they move up and use it. Otherwise take it off, see above as numbers shrink.

Enjoy them.

PH

 

[For want of a better word]

(3 ft long, 1ft diameter)

Did they swarm from a top bar hive I wonder?

 

[Silly Bee]

Why an empty super?

Do you want them to build off the crown board?

 

[Magners Bee]

Great advice all!

Will remove feeder tonight as suggested.

Good to remember that some bees will die over the next 3 weeks before new bees hatch!

Will consider the excluder and super with frames if needed in the next week if the weather improves.

Whatever, we are enjoying them.

 

[itma]

You collected them Wednesday, its now Sunday.

I'd say feed thin syrup, a couple of litres to see how they go. (And I expect it'll disappear very quickly.)
You report that they haven't been foraging much because of the weather, and so by now they will be running low on their internal stocks. Wax-making needs fuel, and until the weather changes (soon I gather), you'll need to be providing the fuel.
And I'd put some (any) insulation in the empty super, over the feeder and crownboard.

If you lift the crownboard (and every time you do), give them a good dusting with icing sugar. Until they have capped brood ALL mites would be on the bees. Even if a dusting only reduces the phoretic mites by 50%, doing it twice before brood is sealed could mean that you only have a quarter of the varroa population parasitising the bees.
Or if you fancy, you could hit them with something harder, like Oxalic. Icing sugar is soft on the bees but not megadeath for varroa.

A few hours after varroa treatment (ie after the majority of the initial drop - which may not all be dead), I'd be putting in the inspection board and (maybe even) restricting the entrance, to help them get well warmed up. Wax-making and comb-drawing needs warmth.

 

[Finman]

Hi
We collected our first swarm on Wednesday which is a 'large' swarm - probably weighing 5-6 lbs of bees (3 ft long, 1ft diameter). We have been told around 40,000 bees.
.

8 lbs swarm needs 2 Langstroth boxes. It is 23 000 bees.

6 lbs swarm has 18 000 bees.

swarm bee weighs is 170 mg when stomach full. When bee's honey stomach is empty the bee weigh is 100-110 mg.

 

[oliver90owner]

Even if that size (and usually there is some doubt) the volume of a cone would be around 30l so they would fairly well fill a deep National brood.

Only 5cm less diameter and the volume is down to 20l. A deep box will do OK.

Feed, and when filling the brood box with comb, maybe add a super of frames for drawing. The weather is forecast to improve in a day or two, but I will believe it when I actually feel it! Stop feeding when they start to build a frame or more of surplus (and are out foraging), but monitor, as the bees (most likely a laying queen in there) will need to be feeding those larvae inside the next week and drawing comb like crazy.

I've seen few foraging bees for the last two days - just too cold for them, here. Just think about what they need.

RAB

Added: Itma makes good sense. I might roll the bees in icing sugar if the weather was warm enough (and not in a back garden on a residential estate) and run them back into the hive before the first brood was about to be capped. Forking out the first capped brood would further reduce the mite population.

 

[Magners Bee]

Thank you

Thanks all - keep those thoughts coming.

I've learned so much today from your comments. We've removed the feeder as they hadn't used it today and tomorrow's forecast is for 20 degrees plus and there is plenty of foraging around.

Will let them keep warm together in the one brood box until our first inspection when we'll be looking for 7 frames of brood.

Just off to say night to the young ladies!

 

[beeboybee]

are you a recipient of the Magners bee competition?