Alibees
New Bee
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2013
- Messages
- 14
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Pen Onn, Vale of Glamorgan
- Hive Type
- National
Hi I'm a nubee, just got a prime swarm this summer and have been watching with interest as I've brought them on. In the books I've read it says that summer bees live for about six weeks and winter bees, due to diet, can live upto six months.
If the swarm that I have, started with mainly young bees, say 3-4 weeks old and maybe took a week to get the new colony established and queenie laying. Then it will have taken another 3 weeks before any of the new bees have hatched and a further 3 weeks for them to be flying, doesn't this put the original colony at about 10-11 weeks? I've not heard this mentioned in any of the books I've read and wondered if I've missed anything, got my sums wrong. It's no wonder they need a good feed to help them draw out the comb.
Would be interested to hear peoples opinions
If the swarm that I have, started with mainly young bees, say 3-4 weeks old and maybe took a week to get the new colony established and queenie laying. Then it will have taken another 3 weeks before any of the new bees have hatched and a further 3 weeks for them to be flying, doesn't this put the original colony at about 10-11 weeks? I've not heard this mentioned in any of the books I've read and wondered if I've missed anything, got my sums wrong. It's no wonder they need a good feed to help them draw out the comb.
Would be interested to hear peoples opinions