Retrieving swarm from front of hive

[GaryB]

Bees swarmed from my main hive today, and promptly settled on the hive front. They have been there for about 4 hours. Have tried to get them into a box twice, but they just go airborne and keep returning to the hive front. Any ideas please on how to get them boxed up. If they had landed on a tree limb etc would be easy to knock them in.

 

[Poly Hive]

Was the Q clipped?

PH

 

[GaryB]

No unclipped, should be a virgin queen as they were re-queening themselves. So puzzled why the have swarmed as the hive will become queenless. Can only think I may have missed a QC when I thought I had only left them with 1 QC.

 

[GaryB]

Swarm at midday and at 5pm. Lots of the bees seem to have returned to the hive

 

[Poly Hive]

Possibly a mating swarm? Just a thought.

PH

 

[MuswellMetro]

With swarms on fronts of hives. I use a frame of comb to lift them off the front of the hive from underneath, the bees cling to the wax comb, then place that in a nuc box and and foundation frames

just done one like that this week, a search today found a scrub emergency queen in the swarm, i have marked her but not clipped her and will requeen her later in the year when i have grafted new queens

 

[GaryB]

Possibly a mating swarm? Just a thought.

PH

That was my initial thought, as she would have hatched a day or so ago, but it seemed a hell of a lot of bees to see her off on her nuptials

 

[GaryB]

With swarms on fronts of hives. I use a frame of comb to lift them off the front of the hive from underneath, the bees cling to the wax comb, then place that in a nuc box and and foundation frames

just done one like that this week, a search today found a scrub emergency queen in the swarm, i have marked her but not clipped her and will requeen her later in the year when i have grafted new queens

Thanks will give that a go.

 

[beeno]

Hi Gary, IMHO they are trying to swarm because you have missed one OC, but the virgin queen is not ready to go, so they have to come back to the hive.

 

[GaryB]

Hi Gary, IMHO they are trying to swarm because you have missed one OC, but the virgin queen is not ready to go, so they have to come back to the hive.

If that be the case, do you think they will break their cluster and re-enter the hive. They are still there at 7pm, don't think they will be flying anywhere tonight.

 

[Millet]

Just a thought but is there enough room in there for them, also from the second picture of the cluster can you not lift the front of the second brood box and stick a wedge in for 20mins to see if they go in through the gap you have made.?

 

[GaryB]

Thanks Millet. Gave that a try. Put a wedge between the broods. There's loads of space in the lower BB, as only added it a week or so ago. So far, none of them have moved back inside. Looks like they're determined to spend the night on the outside. It's getting dark here now, so will have to leave them till tomorrow morning. Will check very early, and see if they are still around. It's times like this that:

1. You wish new virgin queens would wear their regalia i.e Crown and robes - so you can spot them straight away. It's so annoying when they refuse to dress up

2. We humans need to develop telepathic links with the bees, so we know exactly what they are up to....

 

[Beefriendly]

2. We humans need to develop telepathic links with the bees, so we know exactly what they are up to.

I know what you are thinking...........

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Thanks Millet. Gave that a try. Put a wedge between the broods. There's loads of space in the lower BB, as only added it a week or so ago. So far, none of them have moved back inside. Looks like they're determined to spend the night on the outside. It's getting dark here now, so will have to leave them till tomorrow morning. Will check very early, and see if they are still around. It's times like this that:

1. You wish new virgin queens would wear their regalia i.e Crown and robes - so you can spot them straight away. It's so annoying when they refuse to dress up

2. We humans need to develop telepathic links with the bees, so we know exactly what they are up to....

Granny Weatherwax ?

 

[Millet]

Thanks Millet. Gave that a try. Put a wedge between the broods. There's loads of space in the lower BB, as only added it a week or so ago. So far, none of them have moved back inside. Looks like they're determined to spend the night on the outside. It's getting dark here now, so will have to leave them till tomorrow morning. Will check very early, and see if they are still around. It's times like this that:

1. You wish new virgin queens would wear their regalia i.e Crown and robes - so you can spot them straight away. It's so annoying when they refuse to dress up

2. We humans need to develop telepathic links with the bees, so we know exactly what they are up to....

Just a thought, i hope you pull safe and don't loose your little bunch ..

 

[GaryB]

UPDATE
Well after hanging about on the front of the hive all night, half decided to move back inside at about 1.30 this morning, mind you the temp had fallen to 6C, and the other half moved back in at 6.30 this morning. Now hive activity back to normal.

My suspicion is that the new virgin queen had gone off on a mating flight, and everyone else got over excited and thought they were for the off.

I shall wait and see what other little surprises they throw at me today...

 

[beeno]

Can't wait to hear how this mystery is going to end!

 

[kevrhcfag]

More likely bees went virgin didn't. You'll find the virgin somewhere near the entrance. You can mist them down and just brush into a box when hanging on the front, or if big swarm covering 3 sides. Personally would try and find virgin and hive her off on frame and foundation with lots of bees and see how it goes. Obviously at least 1 or more still in situ.