Swarm control with lack of equipment.

[MrMouse]

Hello,

I’m suspicious that when I return from holiday and get into my hives on Sunday, a large double brood colony of mine will have made swarm preparations.
It may be that they have already swarmed in which case what I do next is fairly easy (it will have been 10 days since I last inspected).

If, however, they haven’t yet swarmed but there are uncapped cells, what do you suggest I do?
I have a 5 frame nuc box with a couple of frames and a spare super (but probably need that elsewhere).

Further kit arriving at the end of the week.

Thanks!

 

[enrico]

Hello,

I’m suspicious that when I return from holiday and get into my hives on Sunday, a large double brood colony of mine will have made swarm preparations.
It may be that they have already swarmed in which case what I do next is fairly easy (it will have been 10 days since I last inspected).

If, however, they haven’t yet swarmed but there are uncapped cells, what do you suggest I do?
I have a 5 frame nuc box with a couple of frames and a spare super (but probably need that elsewhere).

Further kit arriving at the end of the week.

Thanks!

I would do a pagden using the super. super on old site with old queen and returning flyers. Move old hive to one side and remove all but one nice queen cell. When you get a new brood box put it with the super.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a 5 frame nuc box

chuck the queen in there with a frame of stores, a couple of frames of emerging brood and the rest either drawn comb or foundation, dump in a good shake of bees - leaving the nuc near the mother hive for a few hours so that all the flying bees return there.
Job done

 

[enrico]

chuck the queen in there with a frame of stores, a couple of frames of emerging brood and the rest either drawn comb or foundation, dump in a good shake of bees - leaving the nuc near the mother hive for a few hours so that all the flying bees return there.
Job done

I thought about that but a double brood box.....Lots of flying bees

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I thought about that but a double brood box.....Lots of flying bees

but if the queen has gone they will just hang around and raise a new queen - as long as the OP reduces the QCs to one