Coldwater
New Bee
Wandered down to the apiary this morning in between thumping showers of rain to see a swarm in a small larch tree nexto to one of the hives (swarms seem to love that tree). They were looking very sorry for themselves, must have swarmed yesterday afternoon and got caught out by the rain. A sad bunch of dead bees on the ground beneath them that must have not coped with all the rain, but I quickly brushed, grabbed handfuls of wet swarm into a box and then straight into a new dry hive beneath the tree with QE under and kingspan crown board to help them warm up.
They tried some plaintive fanning at the entrance, but their hearts didnt look in it really. I let the stragglers still on the tree congregate - probably a handful or two and then took them into the hive as well. There are a hundred or so throughly soaked scattered throgh the tree that sadly arent going to make it, but hopefully I have saved the swarm. They were clustering nicely on foundation, so I closed up again and the next shower is coming through.
Hopefully the queen is in there, but I impulsively took a frame of eggs from the mother hive and gave that to them to give them further reason not to abscond in the next break between showers... Was this a silly thing to do, as a swarm presumably is not expecting to find itself in a hive with eggs and larvae?
I assume their honey stores will be a little depleted having spent all that time out in the cold and rain and no prospect of foraging today... Do you think a little fondant would be a good idea?
Fingers crossed they'll be ok, but any advice welcome.
They tried some plaintive fanning at the entrance, but their hearts didnt look in it really. I let the stragglers still on the tree congregate - probably a handful or two and then took them into the hive as well. There are a hundred or so throughly soaked scattered throgh the tree that sadly arent going to make it, but hopefully I have saved the swarm. They were clustering nicely on foundation, so I closed up again and the next shower is coming through.
Hopefully the queen is in there, but I impulsively took a frame of eggs from the mother hive and gave that to them to give them further reason not to abscond in the next break between showers... Was this a silly thing to do, as a swarm presumably is not expecting to find itself in a hive with eggs and larvae?
I assume their honey stores will be a little depleted having spent all that time out in the cold and rain and no prospect of foraging today... Do you think a little fondant would be a good idea?
Fingers crossed they'll be ok, but any advice welcome.