Never Assume Anything

[Brian Bush]

I went to move an a couple of empty hives on Sunday morning. Picked up the first hive and placed on wheel barrow and took it home.
Went back for the second. This hive had only a handful of bees at the end of the winter. No queen could be seen and I left them to their own devices. recorded it as a lost colony. I have not seen a bee going in or out for months. Picked it up to put in the barrow. I suddenly felt weak. The hive seemed very heavy. A large number of ladies began to emerge. I put it down hastily and retreated. Put a suit on put the boxes back on the stand and inspected the bb. Five frames of 14x12 brood comb and another five of stores. Comb in super being filled. I am at a loss. I can't think the few winter survivors and an elusive queen have survived. I think a swarm must have taken over the empty hive. Curious thing is that very few of the bees were toing and froing and they were extraordinarily calm, unlike any of my other hives. SWMBO was not happy as this took my declared, (to her) number of hives above the limit. The limit is already 5/6 below actuality

 

[Poly Hive]

Swarm prob yes.
I got back from a couple a nuc they had lost, as in the hive as a freebie and to my astonishment the box was occupied... LOL

Returned with interest as they said...

PH

 

[tkwinston4]

I did some major cleaning of a couple of empty hives that i had been meaning to clean up for ages at the weekend. i put them all together and got one ready should i get that call for a swarm and then left them in the garden to be rained on to check for water tightness.

Got home yesterday and glanced out the kitchen window and saw about 10 bees flying around the entrance of one and then going in and out. Thought they were probably mine so watched to see which direction they were coming from and they were defo not mine.

i left them well alone yesterday but plan on having a look this evening.

The only thing i would say is that i left a brood frame in there with some crystallised ivy honey on it so they could just be helping themselves but fingers crossed they have moved in and brought the family with them.