My Apidea swarmed today

[Marvin]

Off they went to a nearby tree. I put them back in (three times before I managed to capture her) and placed the QX over the entrance.

I set it up fourteen days ago with a virgin queen. I've fed candy and there is still some there. They've drawn out two out of the three bars; some pollen, no honey, no eggs.

They are obviously overcrowded.

Advice, please. Do I remove some workers or just sit it out for another week to see if she starts laying?

 

[m100]

They are obviously overcrowded.

Or overheated

Narrow the entrance to ensure there is maximum vent area exposed, and maybe provide some shade although altering the surrounding of a mating hive may lead to the queen getting lost.

Maybe remove the feeder and fit two more frames or add more space above - no one seems to have them in stock at the moment or have discontinued them but Apidea supers are available - Bee Equipped had them at Stoneleigh.

Or put a full sized nuc underneath with a ply adaptor and slide the bottom off the Apidea.

But you really shouldn't be messing around with a mini nuc at all once it is loaded until you can see pollen going in showing that the queen is probably laying.

 

[Marvin]

Thanks Martin, a couple of ideas there for me. I had not thought of overheating but that does ring true.

 

[Roy S]

Yep as said, give them more ventilation by sliding the front entrance cover down a little. Also you can get a large feeder for the apideas, I use these all the time, and remove the small feeder inside the adidea to give them more room and to make it easier for them to regulate the colony temperature.
The supers are great too, but if you get them make sure you order extra frames as they dont come supplied with any!