Swarm Comtrol - trying something a bit different

[Wingy]

So got to that stage now with 30 hives and have got to say enough is enough, but come swarm season before re-combining that number can seriously increase so here’s my plan and so far so good I thought I would share

So hives shows sign of swarm preparation. - charged Queen cells
1) move the brood box to one side and place a new brood box with foundation and a couple of drawn comb.
2) all flying bees will return to new box , old location
3) find your Queen and place her in the new box with flying bees and foundation
4) now shake all the bees off the brood frames into the new box with Queen and flying bees.
5) replace Queen excluder and supers, CB and roof.
6) now with bee free frames containing BIAS check and destroy anything that looks like a Queen cell - DO NOT miss any
7) place this box of brood on to another hive above the brood box & below the Queen excluder - instant double brood
8) alternate to 7) split the brood between a number of other hives
9) when Queen is laying and capped brood is present more brood can be added, possibly from the next hive with Queen cells
PRO’S
1) artificial swarm complete to remove the swarming urge
2) keep full workforce for foraging
3) boost workforce of other colonies
4) only need a spare brood box, frames & foundation
5) no increase in colony numbers
CON,S
1) colonises become very large and can be difficult to inspect (I now have a National on triple brood
2) can prompt another hive to swarm prep due to sudden increase in bee numbers
3) won’t work if all hives are in swarm mode at the same time
DO NOT do this if any disease is suspected

All thoughts welcome, seems to be working so far

 

[jarmo henttu]

So got to that stage now with 30 hives and have got to say enough is enough, but come swarm season before re-combining that number can seriously increase so here’s my plan and so far so good I thought I would share

So hives shows sign of swarm preparation. - charged Queen cells
1) move the brood box to one side and place a new brood box with foundation and a couple of drawn comb.
2) all flying bees will return to new box , old location
3) find your Queen and place her in the new box with flying bees and foundation
4) now shake all the bees off the brood frames into the new box with Queen and flying bees.
5) replace Queen excluder and supers, CB and roof.
6) now with bee free frames containing BIAS check and destroy anything that looks like a Queen cell - DO NOT miss any
7) place this box of brood on to another hive above the brood box & below the Queen excluder - instant double brood
8) alternate to 7) split the brood between a number of other hives
9) when Queen is laying and capped brood is present more brood can be added, possibly from the next hive with Queen cells
PRO’S
1) artificial swarm complete to remove the swarming urge
2) keep full workforce for foraging
3) boost workforce of other colonies
4) only need a spare brood box, frames & foundation
5) no increase in colony numbers
CON,S
1) colonises become very large and can be difficult to inspect (I now have a National on triple brood
2) can prompt another hive to swarm prep due to sudden increase in bee numbers
3) won’t work if all hives are in swarm mode at the same time
DO NOT do this if any disease is suspected

All thoughts welcome, seems to be working so far

A huge story...

 

[ericbeaumont]

can prompt another hive to swarm prep due to sudden increase in bee numbers
won’t work if all hives are in swarm mode at the same time

Yes, may only displace the problem from one colony to several. My simple plan is to AS vertically; when mated upstairs, nuc one of the queens and unite before or on the main flow.

 

[StephenT]

Yes, may only displace the problem from one colony to several. My simple plan is to AS vertically; when mated upstairs, nuc one of the queens and unite before or on the main flow.

Eric - How do you do that and have the queenless part at the top?

 

[Eyeman]

I like the bit:
PRO’S
1) artificial swarm complete to remove the swarming urge

 

[ericbeaumont]

Eric - How do you do that and have the queenless part at the top?

It's an AS, but uses less equipment and space: move the BB+QCs and in its place put a new box with foundation; add the Q and her frame from the original BB; add a split board with entrance facing a different direction; put on top of that the rest of the original BB+a frame of foundation.

If the genetics are good and you wish to make increase, use more boards and split them into a block of flats; give an empty super to the bottom box (it will have the flyers) and any filled supers to the splits.

 

[StephenT]

It's an AS, but uses less equipment and space: move the BB+QCs and in its place put a new box with foundation; add the Q and her frame from the original BB; add a split board with entrance facing a different direction; put on top of that the rest of the original BB+a frame of foundation.

If the genetics are good and you wish to make increase, use more boards and split them into a block of flats; give an empty super to the bottom box (it will have the flyers) and any filled supers to the splits.

Thanks Eric! A new one to try, next year hopefully. If you have double brood and a super or two at the time would you put the super(s) above the new box and then the split board and then the double brood on top? Given there's a flow, are there problems with them drawing the foundation as the bottom box will mainly be the flyers? I guess a couple of frames of drawn comb would help like in a demaree.

 

[ericbeaumont]

double brood and a super or two at the time would you put the super(s) above the new box and then the split board and then the double brood on top

More or less, but it depends on the day: if a flow is on the bottom box will need a super, the rest above as you would a standard AS, unless you want to give the BBs a QC each and use two boards.

Checked one at lunchtime: DBB, split board, BB+ 2 supers. The top had requeened and both supers were rammed, so I added a box of foundation and thanked them. Bottom ticking over; likely to unite next time on the younger, top Q.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Given there's a flow, are there problems with them drawing the foundation as the bottom box will mainly be the flyers?

Not in my experience.

guess a couple of frames of drawn comb would help like in a demaree.

Maybe, but I don't think it's a good idea to give them something too much akin to a nest: if they rebuild a strong colony before they've lost the urge to swarm...

 

[StephenT]

Thanks for the advice @ericbeaumont

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Stacking vertically also means that your wife/partner does not complain about the number of hives springing up in the garden which can save a considerable ear-bashing!

 

[Bee’s Knees]

So got to that stage now with 30 hives and have got to say enough is enough, but come swarm season before re-combining that number can seriously increase so here’s my plan and so far so good I thought I would share

So hives shows sign of swarm preparation. - charged Queen cells
1) move the brood box to one side and place a new brood box with foundation and a couple of drawn comb.
2) all flying bees will return to new box , old location
3) find your Queen and place her in the new box with flying bees and foundation
4) now shake all the bees off the brood frames into the new box with Queen and flying bees.
5) replace Queen excluder and supers, CB and roof.
6) now with bee free frames containing BIAS check and destroy anything that looks like a Queen cell - DO NOT miss any
7) place this box of brood on to another hive above the brood box & below the Queen excluder - instant double brood
8) alternate to 7) split the brood between a number of other hives
9) when Queen is laying and capped brood is present more brood can be added, possibly from the next hive with Queen cells
PRO’S
1) artificial swarm complete to remove the swarming urge
2) keep full workforce for foraging
3) boost workforce of other colonies
4) only need a spare brood box, frames & foundation
5) no increase in colony numbers
CON,S
1) colonises become very large and can be difficult to inspect (I now have a National on triple brood
2) can prompt another hive to swarm prep due to sudden increase in bee numbers
3) won’t work if all hives are in swarm mode at the same time
DO NOT do this if any disease is suspected

All thoughts welcome, seems to be working so far

I am in my third year of bee keeping, this sounds like a really good idea, and one which I will try.
I have WBC hives so traditional vertical splits don’t really work for me.