Swarm prevention thoughts

[HeronsReach]

Lost four hives due to swarming despite continual checks (nearly daily) since the hot weather arrived. All I ever saw were queen cups, which according to the books and many opinions on here are just for play. Even with an egg in I should have few days to sort out an A/S strategy. So I've been having some thoughts on a swarming strategy for next year;
1. Go to double brood box (eight over eight)
2. Clip the queens wings.
3. A/S the queen either when the brood frames look fairly full (no queen cells) or at the first sign of any cup perform A/S.
Thoughts please
PS I have read all the books (many times over) but as with keeping all livestock, the books dont tell you what goes on in an animals head!

 

[fox403]

As other treads on here your not the only one...next years plan sounds the bees knees!

Sent from my MB525 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Brosville]

"Lost four hives" - does this mean you've been left with completely empty hives? I take a far more pragmatic view "whoopee, new colony and queen" - even if you don't manage to catch the departed swarms, they've picked the right moment for them, and the colonies will "pick up" at a heck of a rate........

 

[rae]

Lost four hives due to swarming despite continual checks (nearly daily) since the hot weather arrived.

Don't understand this. Either you're missing queen cells, or you have something strange going on. We have lost 1 swarm this year, due to the awful weather preventing us going in. We've lost several others, but got them back - and I would be the first to admit that all of them have been because we haven't been able to go through the hives often enough. If you are doing very regular checks, I don't see how they can construct a queen cell without you noticing.

In terms of the strategy, my view:

- Double brood, more hassle and more opportunities for them to stash queen cells.
- Clipping - not a bad idea, at least you get to keep your bees
- Early AS - will result in emergency queen cells being created, not the best start for your new queen.

 

[HeronsReach]

Brosville - No its just a primary swarm

Rae - re double brood - check a guy called Ian criag from scotland. His method is fantastic, he has eighty hives and checks for q/c by just cracking the middle of the brood boxes. He did a talk at our club conference. Very inspiring just complicated when he talks about splitting the hive.

 

[oates]

Went to his lecture last year at Stoneleigh and found it fascinating!
Check out Scotish Beekeepers as he has a yearly diary

 

[Finman]

Lost four hives due to swarming despite continual checks (nearly daily) since the hot weather arrived. All I ever saw were queen cups, which according to the books and many opinions on here are just for play. Even with an egg in I should have few days to sort out an A/S strategy. So I've been having some thoughts on a swarming strategy for next year;
1. Go to double brood box (eight over eight)
2. Clip the queens wings.

I do this way and I am quite satisfied with results.

Only problem is that I do not remember clip all queens.

3. A/S the queen either when the brood frames look fairly full (no queen cells) or at the first sign of any cup perform A/S.
!

This I never do that I make AS preventively. I let them grow as long as they have milk in queen cells.
.

.

 

[REDWOOD]

Don't understand this. Either you're missing queen cells, or you have something strange going on. We have lost 1 swarm this year, due to the awful weather preventing us going in. We've lost several others, but got them back - and I would be the first to admit that all of them have been because we haven't been able to go through the hives often enough. If you are doing very regular checks, I don't see how they can construct a queen cell without you noticing.

In terms of the strategy, my view:

- Double brood, more hassle and more opportunities for them to stash queen cells.
- Clipping - not a bad idea, at least you get to keep your bees
- Early AS - will result in emergency queen cells being created, not the best start for your new queen.

this is my way of thinking; play cups, bees are thinking about swarming BEWARE for next inspection, take the necessary equipment on next inspection for AS, if still no eggs in play cups inspect 7 days later if eggs in play cups inspect in 5 days try and think one step ahead of the bees, clipping queens only prolongs bees swarming but will give you time to prepare.
A good way of checking for eggs in play cups is to blow on the bees covering the cups, they don't like it and buzz a bit but it does not harm them

 

[Finman]

this is my way of thinking; play cups, bees are thinking about swarming BEWARE for next inspection, take the necessary equipment on next inspection for AS, if still no eggs in play cups inspect 7 days later if eggs in play cups inspect in 5 days try and think one step ahead of the bees, clipping queens only prolongs bees swarming but will give you time to prepare.
A good way of checking for eggs in play cups is to blow on the bees covering the cups, they don't like it and buzz a bit but it does not harm them

This all is wrong information about swarming control

- playcups are not sign of swarming
- clipping the queen gives to beekepers more time to act and hinders sudden escape
- Idea is not look eggs in playcupps. - Unpractical job
- one step ahead bees - WHAT! - once upon a time there were three bears...

 

[psafloyd]

Well, my nuc drew five frames of foundation in a week, filled them and built QCs and HM ****ed off. Got into the box on Sunday (was in the previous Saturday), saw capped QC, went to get a box and back in within the hour. Turned out there were two capped QCs, very fresh, looked like the Paramount title sequence with the new wax on top... There were a few others but no queen, or some of the bees, yet 1/2 day old eggs, young larvae, etc.

I have learnt an awful lot this season. Most of it the hard way, but that you don't get from the books.