Running bees

[Cuddly Bear]

I picked up a large prime swarm from a well established feral colony a couple of weeks ago and put them in the out apiary. I inspected them for the first time today. Plenty of sealed brood and eggs, no signs of disease all good apart from the were running all over the comb and they had built a lot of comb above the crown board ignoring some brood frames with foundation. I couldn't find the queen but put a QX on below a super of foundation. put the hive back together but there were bees all over the front of the hive like they were about to swarm. They went back after 30 mins. I've heard of bees running on comb before but not seen it. Does this behaviour calm down once the colony is established or should I re-queen?

 

[Nige.Coll]

Be prepared to re queen.
At the moment your inspections are a novelty I predict as the colony grows your interventions will become less popular.
Been there done that.

 

[protheroe]

One of my hives is doing the same but I can't find the queen to change her.looks like I will be shaking them through a qx.just hope she can't squeeze through.it's a pain when they leave the frames and boil out of the sides of the box.they are on double brood making it more difficult.this hive was great last year so they must have superceded last autumn.

 

[oliver90owner]

they had built a lot of comb above the crown board-

The crown board is there to contain the bees within the hive boxes. How can they access above the crownboard - or do yo have gaping holes in yours - ie it is a feeder board?

Totally pointless, as you have found out, having a crownboard which is faulty (has holes).

 

[snelgrove]

I picked up a large prime swarm from a well established feral colony a couple of weeks ago and put them in the out apiary. I inspected them for the first time today. Plenty of sealed brood and eggs, no signs of disease all good apart from the were running all over the comb and they had built a lot of comb above the crown board ignoring some brood frames with foundation. I couldn't find the queen but put a QX on below a super of foundation. put the hive back together but there were bees all over the front of the hive like they were about to swarm. They went back after 30 mins. I've heard of bees running on comb before but not seen it. Does this behaviour calm down once the colony is established or should I re-queen?

I would have put the super on without excluder first with foundation, let them get established then put it on. probably need to requeen later bees running all over comb a nuisance and will make it very difficult for you to inspect if just starting

 

[Tom Bick]

Bees running around the comb like that are hard work they often run of the frames all over your hands and makes handling frames tough as you can easily trap bees and pick up stings the queen will likely move around almost as fast.

 

[Finman]

Bees running around the comb like that are hard work they often run of the frames all over your hands and makes handling frames tough as you can easily trap bees and pick up stings the queen will likely move around almost as fast.

That is a sign of genuine native bee. Do not loose it.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

they had built a lot of comb above the crown board-

The crown board is there to contain the bees within the hive boxes. How can they access above the crownboard - or do yo have gaping holes in yours - ie it is a feeder board?

Totally pointless, as you have found out, having a crownboard which is faulty (has holes).

I was going to comment similarly but Rab beat me to it. I never get a satisfactory explanation why some beeks think holes in a crown board should be left open except to feed. Did someone advise you to keep feeder holes open or was it an oversight on your part?

 

[maddydog]

I've got a colony like this. Every frame you lift the bees are charging around, makes spotting the q a nightmare.

Is there an evolutionary basis for this behaviour? Reminds me of prey animals scattering to avoid predators.

 

[Dishmop]

Bees in my obs hive tend to run around over empty cells but not so well over new foundation..........they keep falling off.........and not a lot of running happens on capped cells because there are lots of other bees there.

 

[Cuddly Bear]

I was going to comment similarly but Rab beat me to it. I never get a satisfactory explanation why some beeks think holes in a crown board should be left open except to feed. Did someone advise you to keep feeder holes open or was it an oversight on your part?

Its a matter of preference. I leave the feed holes uncovered on all my hives and its rare that bees build comb above them. When they do its a sign that they need more space below the crown board. Bees see the space above the crown board as "outside of the hive" Leaving them uncovered also helps for ventilation.

 

[drex]

And with an OMF will lead to a massive through flow of hot air, which escapes. That air will have been heated by the bees using honey as an energy source. If I want maximum honey crop, does that make sense? But as you say, each to their own

 

[Cuddly Bear]

That is a sign of genuine native bee. Do not loose it.

Interesting. Given it was a large swarm from a feral colony in a roof space that had been there a number of years, they may have some interesting characteristics. They look more Buckfast than AMM, but I'm tempted to see how they progress with minimal intervention once I'm certain they are disease free and not too defensive.

 

[madasafish]

Interesting. Given it was a large swarm from a feral colony in a roof space that had been there a number of years, they may have some interesting characteristics. They look more Buckfast than AMM, but I'm tempted to see how they progress with minimal intervention once I'm certain they are disease free and not too defensive.

I have a feeling Finman was being sarcastic

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Its a matter of preference. I leave the feed holes uncovered on all my hives and its rare that bees build comb above them. When they do its a sign that they need more space below the crown board. Bees see the space above the crown board as "outside of the hive" Leaving them uncovered also helps for ventilation.

I see drex has already explained the waste of resources resulting from having holes in the crown board so I will leave it at that.

 

[Cuddly Bear]

I have a feeling Finman was being sarcastic

LOL, I guessed he might have been. Still there were a couple of sensible responses which weren't about crown boards in the thread. I'm will see how they go. I have three queens from good stock in Apideas, so if they aren't manageable and have no other redeeming qualities HM will get squished. That's what the David Cushman site recommends.

 

[Hivemaker.]

That's what the David Cushman, Roger Patterson, site recommends.

Fixed that for you, good website.