malawi2854
House Bee
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2009
- Messages
- 205
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Tonbridge, Kent
- Hive Type
- 14x12
- Number of Hives
- 5
My bees which I installed as a national 5-frame nuc in May have been doing very well - expanded to 10 14x12 frames, with just 1 National frame left to replace once the brood hatched on it.
As some of you will remember from my previous post about bees massing in the entrance, I was concerned they might swarm.
A few days after that, they calmed down immensely - and have been very well behaved since (even with a giant stump grinder working not 8ft away from them).
When I heard this, I feared the worst, that they had swarmed, but hoped for the best.
Unfortunately, on my inspection today, I found it was the worst. My bees (with my SUPERB queen, who was prolific, docile and generally very well behaved) had swarmed. I've narrowed it down that it must have happened on Tuesday morning, as they were bonkers on Monday night, and peaceful by Tuesday morning (around 8am) - so must have gone in the early hours.
I'm very disappointed - I inspected the rest of the hive - they have absolutely masses of stores - a full super (although only partially capped so far), and approx. 4 full 14x12 brood frames of capped honey. So, starvation shouldn't be a problem.
There are still a fair number of bees in there - but nothing like there were a week ago.
I must have missed a couple of queen cells on my inspection last week, as there are 2 cells in there that appear to be capped, with at least another 8-9 with larvae in, being fed up.
Just wanted really to find out if there was anything I should be doing, other than keeping an eye on them? The colony appears to be operating normally, apart, of course, from being queenless. There are still a few bees out and about returning with pollen, and plenty of sealed brood, and brood at various stages of development (although no eggs, obviously!).
Thanks!
As some of you will remember from my previous post about bees massing in the entrance, I was concerned they might swarm.
A few days after that, they calmed down immensely - and have been very well behaved since (even with a giant stump grinder working not 8ft away from them).
When I heard this, I feared the worst, that they had swarmed, but hoped for the best.
Unfortunately, on my inspection today, I found it was the worst. My bees (with my SUPERB queen, who was prolific, docile and generally very well behaved) had swarmed. I've narrowed it down that it must have happened on Tuesday morning, as they were bonkers on Monday night, and peaceful by Tuesday morning (around 8am) - so must have gone in the early hours.
I'm very disappointed - I inspected the rest of the hive - they have absolutely masses of stores - a full super (although only partially capped so far), and approx. 4 full 14x12 brood frames of capped honey. So, starvation shouldn't be a problem.
There are still a fair number of bees in there - but nothing like there were a week ago.
I must have missed a couple of queen cells on my inspection last week, as there are 2 cells in there that appear to be capped, with at least another 8-9 with larvae in, being fed up.
Just wanted really to find out if there was anything I should be doing, other than keeping an eye on them? The colony appears to be operating normally, apart, of course, from being queenless. There are still a few bees out and about returning with pollen, and plenty of sealed brood, and brood at various stages of development (although no eggs, obviously!).
Thanks!