Newbie with a swarm of someone wants it......

[OhBeehave]

Just had another look and what was 1 swarm is now clearly separating into 2 in the tree! So do I gear to collect 2 more swarms or is this still just one?

 

[user 20297]

It was inevitable a cast swarm would leave, your bee guy who looked in the colony left two QC. Swarm fever hasn't diminished so they de - camped again, this time of year it is a lottery to hope and leave two QC & that a VQ will seek out and kill a rival.
They obviously were late stage 13/14th day cells for another to emerge so soon.
The advise of leaving to cells is common but ones needs to know the dating and age of the cells left, with experience one will leave two or three cells all on separate frames (in an ideal world) and then on day 14 make up nucs and use the two other frames with QC as back up or increase.

So, yes one can leave more cells then one but must go back in the hive before any emerge to reduce down to just one marked and selected cell only.

Thank-you for some very precise advice; I could have done with that a few weeks ago.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Collect them both and pop them in together

 

[OhBeehave]

Collect them both and pop them in together

Great, thank you.

 

[user 819]

They could be splitting in to two if two VQ's emerged at a similar time and both went with the swarm. Either collect as one or separately that will be £600 that has now swarmed plus £30/£40 for the taken VQ.

That would mean the hive will have QC's and needs looking at, carefully move any bees so you can see the comb face clearly ( whilst holding the frame lightly/softly just gingerly lay the flat of your hive tool on the bees so they move out of the way). Look for sealed or unsealed cells, mark their positions with a drawing pin on the top bar. Once done then leave just one and hope a VQ isn't still present, if you find no cells then one must assume a VQ is present and leave them be for three weeks.

 

[user 819]

It's all a bit vague but know one knows now the state of play inside.

Sadly a proper A/S should have been carried out but with only one hive an no spare not many options open.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What’s annoying is somebody sorted these out for OP.
Supposedly.
I hope he’s not teaching beginners.
Oooops .....wait a minute

 

[OhBeehave]

They could be splitting in to two if two VQ's emerged at a similar time and both went with the swarm. Either collect as one or separately that will be £600 that has now swarmed plus £30/£40 for the taken VQ.

That would mean the hive will have QC's and needs looking at, carefully move any bees so you can see the comb face clearly ( whilst holding the frame lightly/softly just gingerly lay the flat of your hive tool on the bees so they move out of the way). Look for sealed or unsealed cells, mark their positions with a drawing pin on the top bar. Once done then leave just one and hope a VQ isn't still present, if you find no cells then one must assume a VQ is present and leave them be for three weeks.

They could be splitting in to two if two VQ's emerged at a similar time and both went with the swarm. Either collect as one or separately that will be £600 that has now swarmed plus £30/£40 for the taken VQ.

That would mean the hive will have QC's and needs looking at, carefully move any bees so you can see the comb face clearly ( whilst holding the frame lightly/softly just gingerly lay the flat of your hive tool on the bees so they move out of the way). Look for sealed or unsealed cells, mark their positions with a drawing pin on the top bar. Once done then leave just one and hope a VQ isn't still present, if you find no cells then one must assume a VQ is present and leave them be for three weeks.

Thanks for the advice and I know it is difficult trying to help someone like myself from afar but it is very much appreciated. I will follow those instructions to the letter.

 

[user 819]

What’s annoying is somebody sorted these out for OP.
Supposedly.
I hope he’s not teaching beginners.
Oooops .....wait a minute

Yes agree and made a pigs ear of it now, so much so that it isn't known what position they are in VQ wise.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes and he’s just buggered off with the prime which was worth a lot of money!

 

[user 819]

And a separate VQ too so another £30/£40.

 

[user 819]

ohbeehave has a busy day ahead collecting separated swarm and checking the hive to see what is going on, eventually it should settle down but may take another swarm yet.

However you may even spot the VQ if one is in the hive, if so then just remove all queens cells full stop.

 

[linoleum bonypart]

Steep learning curve when 3/4s of your bees have left...

 

[Nighthaunt]

Just had another look and what was 1 swarm is now clearly separating into 2 in the tree! So do I gear to collect 2 more swarms or is this still just one?

Do you have Wendy on FB? Can find her on the Ashford Beekeepers group - she’s brilliant at answering any questions on FB messenger, can be v useful.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do you have Wendy on FB? Can find her on the Ashford Beekeepers group - she’s brilliant at answering any questions on FB messenger, can be v useful.

As long as she’s not the person who made off with the original swarm

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

What’s annoying is somebody sorted these out for OP.
Supposedly.
I hope he’s not teaching beginners.
Oooops .....wait a minute

Same old same old story unfortunately.
I remember 'the last straw' when I was running the association apiary. I'd just handed over a really nice nuc of gentle prolific bees, bursting to get into a hive and given the recipient detailed instructions as to what to do when they got home, to then see the chairman taking them to one side and giving them totally contradictory - as well as totally wrong - instructions.

 

[OhBeehave]

Right so I have just followed the advice, thanks again.
I went through them twice but could not find the queen. They have been busy though since Friday! I removed 3 uncapped QC and 5 capped QC and left 1 capped QC.
I think I would have been in even more trouble if I hadn’t followed the advice as 1 of the capped QC I squished had a queen in it about to emerge. Unfortunately I noticed this after I squished it otherwise I would have left it and destroyed the rest.

 

[OhBeehave]

Now for round 2, following the advice from Pargyle I have made a temp home for the swarm until the proper gear arrives.
Unlike the first swarm though this one is 12 foot up a tree in the middle

 

[Erichalfbee]

Now for round 2, following the advice from Pargyle I have made a temp home for the swarm until the proper gear arrives.
Unlike the first swarm though this one is 12 foot up a tree in the middle

What a baptism of fire you’ve had. Ten out of ten for trying to make some sense of it. Keep going. Next year will be a joy.

 

[OhBeehave]

Come to papa my little friends.......