Swarm calls

[dpearce4]

Are many people getting them as it seems decidedly quiet in West Sussex.

 

[hexadecimal]

Nearly 3 weeks ago they started for our bees in Worcester.

 

[JWF]

In east Kent swarm season has definitely started. I had to do an AS yesterday, and another colony doesn't seem to be far behind.

There was also a large swarm in the next village yesterday, according to facebook, where the person was asking for a collection which was arranged via the local BKA.

 

[Karsal]

Are many people getting them as it seems decidedly quiet in West Sussex.

Non at the moment here in Lancashire, however the three bait hives in my garden showing signs of lots of bees entering today.

 

[Bakerbee]

Hi all. I had to perform an AS half way through doing a bailey comb change. Luckily i thought it rained and stopped them. So quickly performed a split. Since then my new bb with bias and nurse bees is settling fine and have a capped QC . My other however has play cups all over the place and have attempted to swarm everyday for 3 days. They have room. They have adequate ventilation. Each attempt has see them all fly out incredible noise, thousands of them loosley flying about. 5 to 10 mins later they all go back inside. I thought a possible bit of excitement if VQ was going off to mate but not 3 days on the trot. Im a newbee znd a bit perplexed as to what to do now.

 

[Hachi]

Had my first yesterday, could do with about half a dozen more.

 

[Wingy]

Did an inspection yesterday. Saw 11 play cups in a 10 frame Langstroth. They have 8 full frames or BIAS, pollen & stores, 1 frame mostly drawn and some stores & 1 frame of foundation they are just starting on. I supered last week all new foundation as this is my first full year I have no drawn comb. The super is half drawn and filling nicely. Hopefully not going to need to split just yet but keeping a close eye on them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

This is my first swarm
19th April
Made a nuc up for the queen and she is now marked and laying
I shook the rest of the bees out in front of the other hives

 

[Finman]

Did an inspection yesterday. Saw 11 play cups in a 10 frame Langstroth. They have 8 full frames or BIAS, pollen & stores, 1 frame mostly drawn and some stores & 1 frame of foundation they are just starting on. I supered last week all new foundation as this is my first full year I have no drawn comb. The super is half drawn and filling nicely. Hopefully not going to need to split just yet but keeping a close eye on them.

Play cups mean nothing.

Drawing foundations hinders swarming. And ofcourse the colony needs more space. But anyway, one box hive is too small to swarm. To split such colony destroys surely honey yield.

You have nice amount of brood. If I were you, I would put another langstroth box under the brood box. Then brood nest has space to enlarge.
.

 

[Bakerbee]

Finman, im a newbee and just wanted to ask why you put the new brood below rather than above. I thought their inclination is to move up. Trying to learn all i can from you all here snd your advice always seems spot on. Thanks.

 

[For want of a better word]

Finman, im a newbee and just wanted to ask why you put the new brood below rather than above. I thought their inclination is to move up. Trying to learn all i can from you all here snd your advice always seems spot on. Thanks.

I find this confusing too... but then Finnish beekeepers have a very short season for honey production and need big colonies to bring it in... and have developed beekeeping techniques that would be not the usual practice in most of England.

 

[Noddy]

Plenty in Dorset - we actually had a hive swarm during a training session at the association apiary yesterday, it was 'caught' and placed into a new hive.

I've done several AS in the last week, and will be doing another one today, it seems the bees are determined to catch up to schedule after all the piss poor weather of the past couple of months.

 

[Teebeeaitch]

I am in the sunny South East and no swarm calls for me yet. My own hives do not have any drones flying yet. The warmer weather this weekend has produced the first interest from scouts around an empty garden hive. One swarm would do me nicely ( I never buy bees) and plenty of time yet this summer.

 

[Anduril]

I find this confusing too... but then Finnish beekeepers have a very short season for honey production and need big colonies to bring it in... and have developed beekeeping techniques that would be not the usual practice in most of England.

Why is it confusing, I've done it that way for years, bees move honey up, brood down. I normally do it in March, it can be manipulated later on.

 

[Wingy]

Play cups mean nothing.

Drawing foundations hinders swarming. And ofcourse the colony needs more space. But anyway, one box hive is too small to swarm. To split such colony destroys surely honey yield.

You have nice amount of brood. If I were you, I would put another langstroth box under the brood box. Then brood nest has space to enlarge.
.

Finman I know where you're coming from but for me it's not about honey production this year, this for me started late last year with a cast swarm, re queened. My plan this year is to split and multiply, hopefully taking 4-5 hives into winter, then concentrate on honey. What I don't want is to loose a swarm especially with my lovely 2017 Q

 

[Finman]

Finman I know where you're coming from but for me it's not about honey production this year, this for me started late last year with a cast swarm, re queened. My plan this year is to split and multiply, hopefully taking 4-5 hives into winter, then concentrate on honey. What I don't want is to loose a swarm especially with my lovely 2017 Q

What ever you do, your hive needs space. My suggestion is not against your goals. What you need is more bees, and so more brood. Your one brood box is already full.

Big hives make more brood than small hives. Guys speak rubbish when they say that nucs are brood factories. Perhaps brood kiosk, but not factories.

One brood box and one super is not a hive what you can split. It is a baby hive.

You can only multiplay 2-3 fold one hive, and such origin must be a big hive.

Why English beekeepers are afraid of getting honey... Very strange.

.

 

[Finman]

.
I multiplaid my hives last summe 3 fold, but it was too much. Too many colonies were weak in spring and they have difficulties to start brood rearing.

 

[wessexmario]

Finman, im a newbee and just wanted to ask why you put the new brood below rather than above. I thought their inclination is to move up. Trying to learn all i can from you all here snd your advice always seems spot on. Thanks.

From spring to summer, the brood nest will move down. As the colony expands, bees build comb downwards, and new brood is by preference at the bottom of combs, pollen above, nectar and honey above that.

In autumn and winter, they start at the bottom and eat their way to the top.
At the end of the winter when stores are at their lowest, what's remaining is right at the top, in the warmest place for the coldest time of the year.
Then it repeats.
Of course in practice it's not as neat and tidy as that, but in general that's how it works.

 

[enrico]

From spring to summer, the brood nest will move down. As the colony expands, bees build comb downwards, and new brood is by preference at the bottom of combs, pollen above, nectar and honey above that.

In autumn and winter, they start at the bottom and eat their way to the top.
At the end of the winter when stores are at their lowest, what's remaining is right at the top, in the warmest place for the coldest time of the year.
Then it repeats.
Of course in practice it's not as neat and tidy as that, but in general that's how it works.

Absolutely spot on
It can be confusing for beginners but the above quote is worth keeping
E

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I find this confusing too... but then Finnish beekeepers have a very short season for honey production and need big colonies to bring it in... and have developed beekeeping techniques that would be not the usual practice in most of England.

But this is why average UK production is 30lbs per hive. Some choose to have smaller colonies no doubt but not all. A stronger colony is going to be more resilient, particularly after a tough winter, as well as more productive. It's not Finland specific.

Another way to add space with explosive results, especially in this sort of weather, is Demaree. I recommend it.