swarm Prevention

[Finman]

,
And swarming inheritance:


If a colony has swarming genes in condition, it swarms for sure. Only artificial swarm can cut the swarming fever.


Swarming is bees' way to propagate and it is bees' most important task on earth.
When you have a swarmed queen or its daughter, it is quite sure that they will swarm next summer.

 

[Beefriendly]

,
And swarming inheritance:

Spot on. My local mongrels where persistent annual swarmers (sometimes twice a year). You could do all of the suggestions of space, comb etc but first flow they where off.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

One thing to remember about "enough room" is that the bees need quite a bit of space to dry the nectar, so make sure you always have an empty (or nearly empty) super on top. The idea is that they may not need it but if they do you'll be happy it's there.

In other words, ignore the advice that they need another super when they're on the second last frames - that's way too late.

one indicator is, put another super on when the existing super is full of bees not honey

 

[Finman]

.
To add more room at right time is the basic in beekeeping.
But still 100% of hives may swarm during the summer what ever tower you build to bees.

 

[ASPIRERITE]

All I do is give them plenty of room to expand and as soon as I see a queen cell with something in it I split them by taking away the old queen, a few frames of bees and rip all the cells I don't need down or make lots of splits with the uncapped cells. if you let them cap a cell your asking for a swarm. I've never had a swarm escape me yet. Once you see a queen cell with something in it they will swarm if you don't do it for them. I see bees wanting to swarm as an accomplishment it tells me I'm a successful beekeeper. And as stated before use two brood chambers, confining modern bees in a single brood chamber may work for some but my bees are much too productive to expect them to use just one. My queens can lay half a box in a few days. More frames means more brood and more bees and more splits or honey

 

[Hivemaker.]

My queens can lay half a box in a few days.

Much the same, got some that can lay up a whole box in two hours.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Much the same, got some that can lay up a whole box in two hours.

what size box though?

 

[Finman]

.
Lets calculate. Half box= 5 frames in 4 days. It is 3 boxes in a brood cycle. Most queens lay one box in a brood cycle.

 

[ASPIRERITE]

.
Lets calculate. Half box= 5 frames in 4 days. It is 3 boxes in a brood cycle. Most queens lay one box in a brood cycle.

Most people would say that's impossible It all depends on what the bees are using frames for and what you do with those frames. Oh and the virility and genetics of the queen. A queen cant lay in frames with nectar or pollen in them. That's why using one brood chamber is holding a good queen back and counter productive. That's why I use brood chambers for honey supers, I can remove honey up to the super and a blank from the super to the brood chamber. Queens love empty frames

 

[Hivemaker.]

Fecundity.

 

[ASPIRERITE]

Fecundity.

Exactly

 

[Finman]

Fecundity.

Depends on the place of excluder.
.

 

[mbc]

what size box though?

Science would suggest a box containing no more than two thousand cells.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Science would suggest a box containing no more than two thousand cells.

 

[Finman]

Science would suggest a box containing no more than two thousand cells.

2000 bees cover one langstroth frame.

 

[For want of a better word]

2000 bees cover one langstroth frame.

is that both sides?

 

[Finman]

is that both sides?

That is their habit to do.

 

[deemann1]

Most people would say that's impossible It all depends on what the bees are using frames for and what you do with those frames. Oh and the virility and genetics of the queen. A queen cant lay in frames with nectar or pollen in them. That's why using one brood chamber is holding a good queen back and counter productive. That's why I use brood chambers for honey supers, I can remove honey up to the super and a blank from the super to the brood chamber. Queens love empty frames

are all your supers brood box size ?
It sounds useful to be able to swap frames around

 

[Swarm]

Science would suggest a box containing no more than two thousand cells.

 

[Redcap]

Double Brood boxes

Would you do a 14x12 double brood boxes..or is that a tad ambitious... I like the idea..