Swarm in Compost Bin

[Mary R]

Hi and thanks for allowing me to join. I’m relatively new to beekeeping and inherited a hive last year which appears to be doing quite well (extracted 30lbs this year already).
I received a call this evening from a friend who has a swarm in their compost bin (they said they witnessed the dark cloud of bees flying in at around 2pm this afternoon.
I suited up and looked inside..... the bin was approx 90% full of compost and the bees were inside and around the perimeter and not on the lid. I scooped what I could and placed within a cardboard box (I do not have a nuc or spare hive yet) placed the cardboard box upside down on the ground on an old blanket and propped up one corner around an inch hoping I had the queen in the box and the rest would follow so left them to do their own thing for a few hours. On my return, the bees had fled the cardboard box and returned to the compost bin. Obviously I hadn’t scooped the queen and she remained in the compost bin so I carefully replaced the lid to the compost bin and left alone (for the time being).

Apologies for the long winded post, I have read that the queen will nearly always move to the highest place of their chosen home which in this case would be the compost bin lid. Would she move from the side of the bin to lid over the next few days (which would be easy for me to retrieve or is she likely to remain on the side of the bin and begin to build comb? If she remains on the side of the bin it will be virtually impossible to retrieve. Does anyone have experience or advice? I have searched the forum but to no avail. Thank you in anticipation.....

 

[pargyle]

They will probably start to build free comb down from the inside of the lid over the first few days and most of the bees will then be on the free comb. If you are a bit inventive you could suspend a couple of frames of foundation in the bin (even super frames if there is not enough depth) and they will then draw out these - the queen if she's there will start to lay and will be on these frames ..

It would then be a dead easy job to transfer them to a Nuc, place the Nuc on top of the bin ... seal up the hole they are using to get into the compost bin and you have a colony of bees ! Free bees - nothing to hate there !!

I've done a compost bin cut out from an established colony and yes it is feasible but it's a bit of a job tying in free comb into conventional frames.

Here you go:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/125609724@N03/albums/72157655956812759

 

[enrico]

Any room to get a nuc in the bin?
E

 

[drex]

Sounds like the bin is too full to put a couple of frames in, but it is a good idea. You could put a sheet of ply on top of the bin, in place of the lid, with a nucs or hive sized hole cut out of the ply. Put nucs or box on top of this, upside down if nucs does not have a removable bottom. The smell of wax should attract them up. As said a cut out from the bin would be messy, and needs a bit of experience

 

[Mary R]

Thanks for the replies.....
I have ordered a new hive today, hopefully it will be here in a few days and I will have a go at putting it together (DIY skill will surely be tested). I did consider buying a nuc but thought a hive would be more useful long term.
The bin is full up to approx 10 inches from the top, perhaps as advised I may be able to attach a few frames to the lid and carefully place the lid back, but by the time the new frames arrive they will probably have began establishing themselves and build comb on the lid. I’m hoping the they will do this and will be able to simply take the lid (covered with a blanket) to the new hive. Although one thing I have learned is that whatever you think bees will do is to be prepared for something completely different in reality. It’s all great fun and very interesting.

 

[Dogged]

Can you secure some bits of garden cane under the lid? They might (!) build from these and make it easier to move the comb

 

[pargyle]

If they build new comb attached to the lid you can almost certainly forget transporting it anywhere - it will almost certainly break off - it needs a fair time to harden off to the point where it won't break - more so in the present heat of the sunshineand attached to a plastic compost bin lid. I've been there - there was more comb on top of the compost than there was attached to the bin lid !

10" Depth above the compost is enough .. if you possibly can and have no spare frames - just put some timber strips across the top of the bin, tie some other pieces of timber the width of a national frame to these cross pieces - If you can attach some bamboo skewers vertically to these cross pieces (drill a skewer sixed hole and glue them in) then it will provide a framework for them to build out. Make the bin into a sort of hive - but do it soon - swarms build comb at an incredible rate.

Dispense with the compost bin lid and put a tarpaulin over the top of the bin. Drill a small hole in the side of the bin so they have an entrance and let them get on with it for a week or two. If you can put a jar or dish of sugar syrup in the bin with them to give them something to help build comb .. a couple of litres will help.

They will build out some comb - in a few frames that you will be able to put into your new hive as they stand. You can work these out of the hive in due course.

You then have the time to put your new hive together, an easier job to relocate them and there's less panic all round ...

Breath & Relax .. they will survive for a couple of weeks, with a tarpaulin over the top you can inspect and see what is going on .. you are back in control to some extent and can move them as and when you are ready.

 

[Mary R]

Thanks of the replies and advice, this is really helpful. Quick update....
Greatfully received a 2ft x 2ft piece of plywood from carpenter friend who also cut a hole around 6 inches by 6 inches into it. Placed plywood directly on top of compost bin and placed old super with new frames covering the hole with a spare queen excluder on top. Placed a few stones on top of excluder and covered with a large cardboard box. They can go in and out under the cardboard box but the queen hopefully will remain in the super (if she decides to move up to the super).
Hopefully the will move up into the super and establish there for me to move on. Fingers crossed over the next few days. Would putting a feeder with sugar syrup on top of super help?

 

[pargyle]

Hopefully the will move up into the super and establish there for me to move on. Fingers crossed over the next few days. Would putting a feeder with sugar syrup on top of super help?

Sounds like a plan to me ...As they have been there a couple of days by tomorrow and will have used up the stores they have brought with them so it won't do them any harm to give them a couple of litres to help them build out the frames with comb. You will need to keep an eye on forage in the next few weeks - June is notorious for the 'June Gap' - more so with the warm dry weather we are experiencing. If it is very dry then nectar may be in short supply .. it's not unknown for bees to eat through all the stores they have put away in spring during June ! A swarm will take off very quickly and once the queen gets laying you will start to see the colony increase dramatically - watch for eggs an larvae when they have built some comb.

Don't be surprised if they decide not to go up into the super and prefer to start building comb under your piece of plywood .. if they start this game then you will have to think again.

 

[MikeWade]

If you have a frame of open brood available you could suspend that in the bin so it's just asay touching the compost on the bottom and in contact with the bees. The queen and bees will migrate to the frame then pull it out and into a nuc a bit later.

 

[Mary R]

Success....brood box full and they are drawing out comb. New hive meant to be here tomorrow so the DIY will begin.

 

[tulin]

I think It is nice that the swarms are in the compost bin, but for composting making the compost bin is also a hard process. Organic and natural nutrients can be added to your flower or vegetable garden with compost. However, it can be challenging to create an ongoing compost process. The process can be simplified by investing in a compost tumbler. Choosing a compost tumbler within your budget is the best idea after checking the compost tumbler's capacity, construction material, and other things. There is a compost tumbler that I have seen which looks very nice. Except the two things are too small for extensive composting. A small capacity makes it hard for the compost to reach enough heat quickly. It can be time-consuming to get waste in and compost out because the doors are small. The two chambers make it easy to process two loads of compost in different stages, the solid plastic construction feels durable and appears to be of good quality, and it can easily rotate for smaller amounts of waste.

 

[Erichalfbee]

We have Compost heaps...three that are rotated but I do have a small standard compost bin for kitchen waste which goes into tumbler when it's full

@Mary R How did it go? Are they fit for winter?

 

[JimBee463]

We have Compost heaps...three that are rotated but I do have a small standard compost bin for kitchen waste which goes into tumbler when it's full

@Mary R How did it go? Are they fit for winter?

The OP was 2 years ago, so hopefully they made it

 

[Erichalfbee]

The OP was 2 years ago, so hopefully they made it

Ooops!
But last seen 2 weeks ago so …….