Quick help - maybe swarming

[greig1983]

Hello all,

My girlfriend just called me there to say she can't get out the back garden as there's bees everywhere. Before I rush home from work, do you believe their swarming?

 

[AndrewD]

Hi

As a relative newbie, looking at the picture I would say yes.

Andrew

 

[bpmurray]

Either your bees are leaving, or someone else's bees are arriving. So, yes, it's a swarm.

 

[greig1983]

Thanks. She said there's still some around the hive, I'm hoping they've raised a new queen and not all gone.

Was a new package and only a few months hived. Had plenty of space but just one of those things. Did see a cell last week but I never seen any new eggs so presumed the queen May of died and they were raising a new one.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I think you need to read up a bit and get a local mentor

 

[justsmith]

I bet they will be gone before you get home (unless they are a swarm coming to you) would open up the hive and look for the queen cells and reduce to a single cell when you get home

 

[greig1983]

I think there gone... When I checked about 5 days ago I only seen cells on the side of the combs. I read that this was OK as I thought they were raising a new queen as I never seen any young larva.

 

[greig1983]

I bet they will be gone before you get home (unless they are a swarm coming to you) would open up the hive and look for the queen cells and reduce to a single cell when you get home

Thanks will do that. The queen wasn't marked so never managed to find her.

 

[wessexmario]

Hello all, My girlfriend just called me there to say she can't get out the back garden as there's bees everywhere. Before I rush home from work, do you believe their swarming?

you can tell her though that swarms are usually quite docile, and won't attack. Quite an experience standing in the midst of a swarm.

 

[enrico]

you can tell her though that swarms are usually quite docile, and won't attack. Quite an experience standing in the midst of a swarm.

Until the queen lands in your hair!!!

 

[Swarm]

Have a good look around the area and you may just find the swarm.

 

[greig1983]

you can tell her though that swarms are usually quite docile, and won't attack. Quite an experience standing in the midst of a swarm.

That sounds worrying but I know what you mean. I have one hive that are calm as anything and the other just attacks you for going near it. Would love to requeen but can never find her.

 

[greig1983]

I rushed home from work. I didn't see much of a difference in bee numbers but took both hives apart. Noticed around 7/8 queen cells in each hive. Larva maybe 5 days old inside.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looks like they both swarmed.
I really do think you need to go on a course or get some assistance there.

 

[greig1983]

Looks like they both swarmed.
I really do think you need to go on a course or get some assistance there.

Even when the numbers aren't noticeably lower?

There's no one local I'm afraid. Have studied a lot and got a pile of books but it's a hobby where you can never know anything. A beekeeper once said to me, you can ask two beekeepers one question and get three answers..

Hopefully find someone local enough to me one day to help go through inspections and give some advice.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

That sounds worrying but I know what you mean. I have one hive that are calm as anything and the other just attacks you for going near it. Would love to requeen but can never find her.

Docile colonies will be more defensive when they have stores to defend. I have one such. That's the source of the old saw that cranky bees make more honey. It's the honey that makes them cranky much of the time.

ADD Plus lots of old foragers leads to both.

 

[greig1983]

I forgot to add the cells were capped and still had the queen in them with jelly.

The honey from the crazy hive is lovely. Only took one frame out this year and got 7 jars so was pleased. Having to feed them sugar syrup as at the time they were 3 full frames of honey, last week I checked there wasn't much at all.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Even when the numbers aren't noticeably lower?

yes - capped QC's gives you a clue plus the great big cloud of bees milling around the garden earlier. You should have taken action as soon as you saw QCs being built.

 

[chrisb]

made the queens, stuffed there little faces and went.

 

[greig1983]

You should have taken action as soon as you saw QCs being built.

The cells were in the middle of the comb doesn't that mean there supercedure cells? That's the reason I didn't panic I thought something might of happened to the queen.
The cloud as someone suggested could of been a swarm trying to relocate near my hives?

Bees are all doing fine the now, just a but temperamental when I go out the back.