swarm control - another option ?

[citrus]

so if you are happy with a laying queen and you see the hive has BIAS and all is well.

if queen cells start to get generated as swarming season begins do you have another option whereby

you just inspect and remove all qc's every 6 days ... give the hive space to get them to focus on building foundation (rather than swarm preparations)

keep doing that until they stop generating queen cells .... ?

basically if I am not looking to expand my hive count ... can I do this ?

I mean long term an old queen will (and has croaked) and I have used queen cells from one hive into the other

 

[fatshark]

You'll miss one ... always.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

they will just pick an older larva, build out a queen cell and swarm a few days later, or conceal a QC so well you will miss it.
inspections every six days will not change a thing

 

[mjt68]

I think they'll swarm on an unsealed cell. Another point is that inspecting every 6 days might be unrealistic - life intervenes, weather turns miserable etc.

Think about why bees swarm and the reproductive impulse. Any season could be a colony's last so passing the genes on is important.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And if you don't want to make increase, after the A/s swarm and the new queen is a proven layer, introduce the old queen to a gate post and reunite

 

[Poly Hive]

It's an idea that crops up every season and no it will not work EVER.

The basic principle of beekeeping is that you work with the bees and not against them.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's an idea that crops up every season and no it will not work EVER.

The basic principle of beekeeping is that you work with the bees and not against them.

PH

It's a perennial thing - people trying to avoid doing any work by making more work for themselves.

 

[citrus]

And if you don't want to make increase, after the A/s swarm and the new queen is a proven layer, introduce the old queen to a gate post and reunite

Part of my the problem is Queen hunting - as a newbie always worried about that aspect - partly through lack of practice and also as I don't mark queens

will try the nuc method this year tho to try and get better at that aspect

 

[Poly Hive]

Find someone who is competent with a number of colonies and ask to help. Then learn queen finding as it is a matter of tuning in the eye. Once tuned that's it for life, like riding a bike.

PH

 

[Newbeeneil]

Part of my the problem is Queen hunting - as a newbie always worried about that aspect - partly through lack of practice and also as I don't mark queens

will try the nuc method this year tho to try and get better at that aspect

I think we all have problems spotting queens for the first couple of years but when you get used the the different way they move across the comb they seem to jump out at you. To be honest they are probably easier to spot than a well hidden QC under a cluster of bees especially if marked with a fluorescent paint. (I use girly pink for all my queens - you see them as soon as you pick the frame up.)
If you can't pick the queens up to mark I was shown how to mark them with a pen as they walk across the comb by my bee inspector. It's not perfect as you can't really apply any pressure but the bees don't seem to attempt to clean her as, if you are careful, she hardly notices. This is great for new queens in the spring where you don't want to risk damage before drones are about.

The nuc method is very simple for beginners as long as you have a few nuc boxes.

 

[citrus]

they will just pick an older larva, build out a queen cell and swarm a few days later, or conceal a QC so well you will miss it.
inspections every six days will not change a thing

so doing some more reading on this ...so thanks for setting me straight...

http://barnsleybeekeepers.org.uk/swarm_prevention.html


"To try and prevent swarming outright is not recommended as it works against the natural processes of the bees. One suggested deterrent to swarming has been to remove queen cells until the bees stop making any more. Unfortunately, it is still sometimes taught that the first queen cells to appear should be culled in the hope the bees will give up their swarming tendency. This has now been shown to be counterproductive. Some beekeepers who have tried this have reported that the bees become “demoralised”. By this they mean that the brood development drops and the bees’ foraging activities drop causing a general weakening and reduction in colony size.
"

 

[Bakerbee]

I had to do an AS recently as the warm temps in late winter caused my girls to fast forward. I only had the smallest of windows time wise to catch them before qc emerged. Having said that the AS was easy. The urge to swarm once triggered is not necessarily turned off just because youve split the queen from the brood though. So keep a sharp eye on the box with the qc's as if more than one is left they can then deplete themselves by virgins swarming. Im now wishing i had not left 2 QC's. Anxious times but lessons learned also.

 

[citrus]

and nicely described here

->https://www.theapiarist.org/queen-cells-dont-panic/

"Don’t repeatedly rely upon knocking off every charged queen cell week after week after week.

You will miss one … I guarantee it. They will swarm.

Destroying charged queen cells is not swarm control

This should be engraved on every hive tool sold to new beekeepers "



thanks for all the advice on here ... I am getting better prepared

 

[eltalia]

Contrary to populist teachings swarm mode is installed long before it is seen from inspection.
Know your bees at your location and fit restrictors as that known window approaches.
Remove once it closes.
Example of our queen castle is attached showing various settings however all hives have
QRs in place for the swarm season and also during inclement weather windows to prevent
absconds occurring.

Bill

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Head in the sand beekeeping, classic way of buggering your bees up

 

[enrico]

Head in the sand beekeeping, classic way of buggering your bees up

Which post are you referring to?
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Which post are you referring to?
E

shutting the bees up to avoid swarming

 

[Popparand]

You'll miss one ... always.

So is it best to just let them swarm if that's what they want to do?

 

[Beefriendly]

So is it best to just let them swarm if that's what they want to do?

No, you need to be in control.
Either prevention as in Demaree or Snelgrove method 1.
Or pro-active when queen cells are seen to be drawn as in Pagden/Snelgrove method 2, Nuc method etc etc.

Only a bad boss looses half his workforce...

 

[fatshark]

So is it best to just let them swarm if that's what they want to do?

No, it's poor management (for the reasons Beefriendly gives) and it's irresponsible.

What if they move into the soffits above your neighbours porch? Or the church tower where the anaphylactic campanologist practices?

They want to reproduce ... and many artificial swarm methods lets them do just that, except you remain in control.