Swarm prep in 6 hives

[JonnyPicklechin]

I've got 5 strong hives and one medium that issued swarming this week, various queen ages. Lots of work and equipment issues yesterday with AS.

West London location...wondered if the weather is a factor..never had such coincidences. Others having similar experiences?

 

[ericbeaumont]

the weather is a factor

Probably; they've built up earlier in the spring and more recently, sitting & planning at home for too long.

The blackberry is finally flowing, so may bring swarming to an end. Lime in flower as well, which is way too early; it needs muggy days and nights to produce nectar and yesterday, in a breezy 16C, I saw one bumble on four big trees.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I've got 5 strong hives and one medium that issued swarming this week, various queen ages. Lots of work and equipment issues yesterday with AS.

West London location...wondered if the weather is a factor..never had such coincidences. Others having similar experiences?

The miracle is that hives get the swaming idea at same time.

When you see the queen cells, their swarming fever has started perhaps 10 days or a week erarlier.

 

[Do224]

The blackberry is finally flowing, so may bring swarming to an end.

Why would the blackberry flowering bring swarming to an end?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Why would the blackberry flowering bring swarming to an end?

too busy foraging to think about swarming

 

[ericbeaumont]

Why would the blackberry flowering bring swarming to an end?

Yes, as JBM suggested, there comes a time when the hive mind changes from the urge to replicate to the desire to acquire; the influential factors are the imminent change in day length at the Solstice on 21 June, and the onset of a major nectar flow.

That change in day length may be incremental, but bees recognise it and change tack to take advantage of the flow, which appears (fortuitously) at roughly the same time.

 

[StephenT]

I've got 5 strong hives and one medium that issued swarming this week, various queen ages. Lots of work and equipment issues yesterday with AS.

West London location...wondered if the weather is a factor..never had such coincidences. Others having similar experiences?

I'm just down the road from you and had two hives out of five making swarm preps about 5 weeks ago. Two others were slow to build up and so am keeping a very close eye on the them now (re-queened one and so hopefully that will help). The 5th is a monster hive but the demaree and re-queening (they are overly defensive) seems to have kept it in check. In what areas are you keeping hives now?

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Thanks all - grim weather forecast for the next two weeks. What ever next...

@StephenT These all occurred in my apiary in the Osterley area- They were all double brood or brood/half with at least one super, though interestingly a couple of the double broods have not been drawn even though they were added mid April. Lessons learned in looking to blend fresh foundation with drawn brood frames perhaps.

The smaller one was from a this-season-split and still is only on 8 frames and still decides to take up the fever.

 

[ericbeaumont]

interestingly a couple of the double broods have not been drawn even though they were added mid April

Sure sign that swarming is imminent; after all, why re-decorate if you're moving house?
Few years ago I was given a tip by Peter Heath, one of the best SBIs in our area, now retired: put a foundation in the nest, and if they haven't drawn it by your next visit...

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Sure sign that swarming is imminent; after all, why re-decorate if you're moving house?
Few years ago I was given a tip by Peter Heath, one of the best SBIs in our area, now retired: put a foundation in the nest, and if they haven't drawn it by your next visit...

That makes sense to a certain extent. It suggests that the swarming decision has been made many weeks before. and if significant brood continues to be added/cycle in the top box but then no drawing in the bottom then it's just a matter of time. Would the bee keeper decide at that point, lets say at least 2 visits, i.e. about 2 weeks, that with no drawn comb the appropriate action would be to withdraw the decision to "classically" double brood and then move to a demaree strategy? I like demaree but my time and style does not default to it and I tend to go to double brood. But if the bees are essentially telling me they are thinking about reproduction, the demaree as a plan B is the beekeeper essentially convincing them otherwise?

 

[ericbeaumont]

if significant brood continues to be added/cycle in the top box but then no drawing in the bottom

Do you mean to add a box of BB foundation under the first? I prefer to upgrade to DBB by splitting the brood vertically into both boxes, and to fill the sides of both boxes with the foundation.

demaree as a plan B is the beekeeper essentially convincing them otherwise?

I have no experience of a genuine Demaree, but favour the vertical AS.

 

[jarmo henttu]

I've got 5 strong hives and one medium that issued swarming this week, various queen ages. Lots of work and equipment issues yesterday with AS.

West London location...wondered if the weather is a factor..never had such coincidences. Others having similar experiences?

BAd weathers and lack of yield is the main reason to start swarming. But swarming is bee colony's only habit to reproduce.

There are many different factors why the colony starts swarming procedures

My record year has been that hives swarmed 120%.

 

[JonnyPicklechin]

Thanks @ericbeaumont - Is the vertical A/S the 'modified Snelgrove 2' per Wally Shaw?

 

[jarmo henttu]

Probably; they've built up earlier in the spring and more recently, sitting & planning at home for too long.

The blackberry is finally flowing, so may bring swarming to an end. Lime in flower as well, which is way too early; it needs muggy days and nights to produce nectar and yesterday, in a breezy 16C, I saw one bumble on four big trees.

Strong colonies swarm first. But it is races too, when they start swarming.

Carniolans swarm first. Italians later and hybrids between that.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Is the vertical A/S the 'modified Snelgrove 2' per Wally Shaw?

Oh, crikey, you've got me there because I haven't read the WS booklet.

It's an AS, but uses less equipment and space: move the BB+QCs and in its place put a new box of 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.

I'll have a look at the WS...

 

[ericbeaumont]

BAd weathers and lack of yield is the main reason to start swarming

Makes sense: this year we've had plenty of wet weather and a disrupted supply of forage.