Small swarm in new hive - supers?

[Eric the Ewok]

Hello all

I kept bees a few years ago - lost them - but starting again now.

Managed to catch a small swarm at the weekend. Put them in my (WBC) hive - all new wax - I didn't have any comb. Brood box only at the mo. Feeding them - they got through a litre of syrup in 3 days so have replenished it. I'll open them up at the weekend and check how things are going.

Assuming I have a queen and she is laying - had I ought to put a super on in a week or two's time? - should I wait till all the wax in the brood chamber is all pulled?

I didn't want to think that everything was being stored in the brood box at the expense of comb for eggs.

 

[enrico]

I would at least wait until comb is beginning to be drawn on outer frames, they will expand according to room available and adding a super won't help that. They will use most of their stores to make wax!
There are a few of us Eric's on here
Welcome from Eric the enrico

 

[Eric the Ewok]

Thanks for that - yes that makes sense.

Looking forward to seeing what's going on at the weekend

 

[drstitson]

small swarm should really be in a poly nuc.

dummy down and add foundation as needed. no super til up to strength. your colony will dwindle over next 3 weeks (assuming you have a mated queen ie not a cast) and it'll be another 3 weeks until new foragers available.

 

[user 6228]

small swarm should really be in a poly nuc.

dummy down and add foundation as needed. no super til up to strength. your colony will dwindle over next 3 weeks (assuming you have a mated queen ie not a cast) and it'll be another 3 weeks until new foragers available.

or even a poly nuc with 35mm of kingspan all round.(except the floor, its summer after all )

 

[drstitson]

derekm - of course i wasn't more specific but as you know MY Pa*nes poly nucs have insulated deep wooden roofs.

 

[user 6228]

derekm - of course i wasn't more specific but as you know MY Pa*nes poly nucs have insulated deep wooden roofs.

how much insulation is under the wood?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I had a teacher who asserted air is the best insulator when we were carrying out electrical experiments in physics

 

[Eric the Ewok]

They are in a WBC - sheltered position - and the weather is kind at the moment. Poly Nuc - I don't know what that is - hang on... (Google)

Ah right - that's cool - no in an ordinary brood box at the moment. I can easily add some polystyrene cut to exact size around the brood box and on the lid - but with the weather as it is at the moment I should be OK unless the weather changes?

They seem to be getting through the syrup in the feeder fairly - 2 litres now since the weekend.

Shall I keep feeding them for another week or two?

 

[Eric the Ewok]

I was going to post a link to a video I took of the swarm - but I have to have made 10 posts before I can add a link.

Another post done (sorry about this

I'll go and say some hellos in the new members section.

 

[beeno]

Hi Eric,
How exciting for you to be back in business! All going well by the sound of things. Don't be disappointed if you don't have eggs this weekend, as it may well be a cast from the sound of things and she will need time to mate. If they are storing too much syrup in the comb stop feeding temporarily. HM must have space to lay, but only you will know that situation from the weekends inspection. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eric the Ewok]

This is the swarm I caught:-

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=465657370191327&l=5210739211543421296

 

[beeno]

Hi again,
Small, but not that small. Did they come together eventually or did you have to go around the bin to get them all?

 

[user 6228]

I had a teacher who asserted air is the best insulator when we were carrying out electrical experiments in physics

ceertainly has the best price performance..

but using it thermally i wish it would stay still

 

[Eric the Ewok]

Hi again,
Small, but not that small. Did they come together eventually or did you have to go around the bin to get them all?

Lifted the lid off the compost bin in the video - popped the brood chamber box on top with a board over - the queen was at the bottom and managed to get her into the frames at the top and then left them to it. Went back late in the evening - slid a board underneath the brood chamber box and carried it to the hive, slid the board out and they are. I think I got every single bee. There were certainly none at all left behind that evening.

There were still a fair few bees in the air when I took that video - so hopefully I have a half decent little swarm. I'll see tomorrow

They seem every so docile - mind you swarms are - but even now they are in the hive - I don't need to worry about suiting up when I'm taking the lid off and feeding - mind you I will tomorrow when I have a proper look at them.