Swarm crazy

[Wingy]

Is it just mine or are others experiencing the same. This week every single hive has thrown up charged Queen cells. I’ve been run ragged & juggling kit all over the place.
Supers filling nicely but nothing capped off in any great quantity yet. Even the 7 colonies on the OSR.
They seem to be putting swarm before forage. Last time they swarmed so early they tried again late season

 

[Boston Bees]

Not yet, no

How much space have you given them in the brood chambers to draw new wax? For example, by adding in foundation or foundationless frames

 

[gregior]

Inspected 4 today.When I inspected them 7 days ago no cells at all in any . Today multiple cells in 3 of them and super slimmed down queens they were ready to go!

 

[Finman]

They seem to be putting swarm before forage. Last time they swarmed so early they tried again late season

Absolutely you should change the breed.

My most early swarmers I have had are Carniolans. When I went 2 weeks backwards to look, why they got an impulse of swarming, I could no find any reason. They have just such genes.

 

[Wingy]

Not yet, no

How much space have you given them in the brood chambers to draw new wax? For example, by adding in foundation or foundationless frames

I have a mixture - double brood Nationals with 1 or 2 brood above the QX (I don’t use supers) then some single some double brood Langstroth some with 2 some with 3 supers. There is plenty of space in the brood boxes & I have kept ahead of them with the supers. Especially with them being on the OSR. They have just expanded so fast but with the cold nights they are eating as much as they are bringing in

 

[Finman]

Extra space does not hinder swarming if the colony wants.
.
Like my friend has an even quality hives. Swarming is every year 100.0 % sure. One year it was 120%.

 

[Kaz]

Is it just mine or are others experiencing the same. This week every single hive has thrown up charged Queen cells. I’ve been run ragged & juggling kit all over the place.
Supers filling nicely but nothing capped off in any great quantity yet. Even the 7 colonies on the OSR.
They seem to be putting swarm before forage. Last time they swarmed so early they tried again late season

Same for me, running out of kit now...

 

[BugsInABox]

Extra space does not hinder swarming if the colony wants.
.
Like my friend has an even quality hives. Swarming is every year 100.0 % sure. One year it was 120%.

but might it stop them wanting?

 

[jeff33]

Not yet either but have now demaree 3 hives on 10 frames of bias. I will have a lot more to do next week as well.

 

[jeff33]

Absolutely you should change the breed.

It was so predictable!! We have had one of the mildest winter in a long time and I don't think many hives have had the usual winter brood break as a consequence. I would say 90% of my hives are a good 2-3 weeks ahead in strength and size of the brood nest. This may have something to do with all the early swarming.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve never seen so much early spring forage available in the midst of good weather. Mine are surging ahead.

 

[Finman]

It was so predictable!! We have had one of the mildest winter in a long time and I don't think many hives have had the usual winter brood break as a consequence. I would say 90% of my hives are a good 2-3 weeks ahead in strength and size of the brood nest. This may have something to do with all the early swarming.

Sounds very strange that explanation. Your flowers bloomed the whole winter?

There are much countries which have warmer winters than UK.

 

[gregior]

Perfect swarming conditions today I think the swarm collectors will be having a busy day!

 

[jeff33]

Sounds very strange that explanation. Your flowers bloomed the whole winter?

There are much countries which have warmer winters than UK.

No but the brood nest did!! Agreed that much countries have warmer winters and I probably would argue their swarming season will also start earlier in these countries as the queens probably carry on laying during winter months. I would anticipate that if Finland was balming itself in 10C + instead of -10C you would see a difference with your bees?

 

[SumpNut]

Is it just mine or are others experiencing the same. This week every single hive has thrown up charged Queen cells. I’ve been run ragged & juggling kit all over the place.
Supers filling nicely but nothing capped off in any great quantity yet. Even the 7 colonies on the OSR.
They seem to be putting swarm before forage. Last time they swarmed so early they tried again late season

This sums up my last week perfectly, every one of my hives decided to swarm over the last 2 weeks. It will be interesting to see if the upcoming queens mate well at this time of the year.

 

[Finman]

No but the brood nest did!! Agreed that much countries have warmer winters and I probably would argue their swarming season will also start earlier in these countries as the queens probably carry on laying during winter months. I would anticipate that if Finland was balming itself in 10C + instead of -10C you would see a difference with your bees?

I did not compare your swarming to my Ginkish bees. But if your bees swarm well, let them be. So would say Brother Adams.

 

[jeff33]

I did not compare your swarming to my Ginkish bees. But if your bees swarm well, let them be. So would say Brother Adams.

Fingers crossed my bees haven't swarmed and none of my colonies have made swarm preps as yet....won't last I bet!

 

[Finman]

Fingers crossed my bees haven't swarmed and none of my colonies have made swarm preps as yet....won't last I bet!

Grossing fingers helps

 

[jeff33]

Grossing fingers helps

yes, quite handy to block-up the entrance and stop their exit!

 

[Ringlander]

Here in Norfolk we have just had a week of bitterly cold (8-9 deg C) grey weather and the bees have hardly put their heads out of the hive. The weeks before were lovely and sunny and there was a strong flow coming in, with all hives now having 2 or 3 supers on. Today the sun is back and I was able to inspect for the first time in 8 days. Out of 5 hives inspected 4 had multiple open charged queen cells and three had at least one sealed QC, but all of the queens were seen and still present. All hives are poly 14x12 and have a reasonable amount of empty brood space still available (2-3 frames) so I assume that with the cold weather all the flying bees were crammed in with the brood and nursery bees and the crowding has triggered the swarm impulse. With the weather being so cold I guess they couldn't swarm as soon as the QC's were sealed. I split one and for lack of kit have had to just knock back all the cells on the others and added supers to give them more space. Fingers firmly crossed.....