Swarm witnessed

[elainemary]

I had a colony swarm yesterday (mea culpa - last inspection on 14th!), I watched it happen and collected the swarm into a nuc. Today I have gone through the swarmed colony and cut back to a single QC.
Just wondering, as I knew which hive it was from, what would have happened if I'd reunited the swarm with the original colony, either before or after removing QCs?

This is a recommended way of uniting the 2 halves of a swarm without risking further swarming. I picked this up from Hivemaker (now deceased):

-Queen in nuc or collect the swarm
-Take down swarm cells in ‘parent’ colony (I.e. brood and bees left in the original colony)
-Inspect after 7 days and remove emergency cells in the ‘parent’ colony
-Add a frame of open brood with young larva into the parent colony (could take this from the swarm part with the queen)
Take down emergency cells again after 7 days
-Can now unite both halves back together and won’t swarm
-process takes c2 weeks

In summary. you need to switch the colony from swarming mode to emergency queen making mode. 2 rounds of this and it’s safe to unite the 2 halves back together with the original queen and no more swarming. Have done this myself 3x now and a good technique towards the end of the season when mating a new queen is more risky

 

[Firefly]

Today I have gone through the swarmed colony and cut back to a single QC.

I think you will still need to go through the colony again in a week's time and probably need to take down any emergency QCs they have built in the meantime. Probably you already know that, but I thought I'd mention it as no-one else did

 

[Sutty]

I think you will still need to go through the colony again in a week's time and probably need to take down any emergency QCs they have built in the meantime. Probably you already know that, but I thought I'd mention it as no-one else did

Thanks for mentioning it, but yes, aware of that, hoping to re-inspect at 5 days. Half-wishing I had left 2 cells as the next hive along was distinctly unfriendly & I may want to requeen it! I know I could squish her and use an emergency cell....

 

[Ringlander]

Just going back to the discussion about an eke with an entrance I simply drill a hole through the side wall of my Maisemore poly brood boxes towards the bottom and seal it with a wine bottle Cork when not needed. It works well as an upper entrance or alternative entrance for manipulations and also allows an easy port for vaping without melting the polystyrene or losing half the vape to the atmosphere ( just needs a tapered wooden plug around the nozzle of the gas vap)

 

[Moody]

For the exiting of drones in a Demaree or similar, I've considered drilling a 10mm hole through one of the wedge plugs in an Abelo box.

Abelo now sell the poly plugs with a entrance and landing board. So these can be used and entrance's b

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Abelo now sell the poly plugs with a entrance and landing board. So these can be used and entrance's b

but why?

 

[Moody]

but why?

This can be used to create a vertical split, rear a new queen in the top box and maintain the same colony without splitting.

 

[Erichalfbee]

This can be used to create a vertical split, rear a new queen in the top box and maintain the same colony without splitting.

I think JBM means why put a landing board on?
I wonder why too when just a rectangular hole is sufficient

 

[Moody]

I think JBM means why put a landing board on?
I wonder why too when just a rectangular hole is sufficient

Ahh, Its only a small 2" wide landing board that fits within the hole on the 12 frame polyhive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I know. I wonder why Abelo make them, that’s all. Are they in addition to the usual plugs they supply?

 

[Boston Bees]

Yes I know. I wonder why Abelo make them, that’s all. Are they in addition to the usual plugs they supply?

Yes.

Just a bit of fun I imagine for those who like such things - only £1 after all

Absolutely no need for them, as you say

EDIT: Have you seen their swarm indicator? Made me chuckle. Innovative, if nothing else. Intrigued to know if it works, though can imagine it probably causes more issues (confused workers, robbing temptation, unwanted ventilation) than it solves.

Swarm Indicator - Welcome to Abelo's Beekeeping Supplies

 

[Moody]

Yes.

Just a bit of fun I imagine for those who like such things - only £1 after all

Absolutely no need for them, as you say

EDIT: Have you seen their swarm indicator? Made me chuckle. Innovative, if nothing else. Intrigued to know if it works, though can imagine it probably causes more issues (confused workers, robbing temptation, unwanted ventilation) than it solves.

Swarm Indicator - Welcome to Abelo's Beekeeping Supplies

I did see that. What exactly is it's purpose. There was nothing in the description.

 

[Moody]

Yes.

Just a bit of fun I imagine for those who like such things - only £1 after all

Absolutely no need for them, as you say

EDIT: Have you seen their swarm indicator? Made me chuckle. Innovative, if nothing else. Intrigued to know if it works, though can imagine it probably causes more issues (confused workers, robbing temptation, unwanted ventilation) than it solves.

Swarm Indicator - Welcome to Abelo's Beekeeping Supplies

I did see that. What exactly is it's purpose. There was nothing in the description.

 

[Boston Bees]

I did see that. What exactly is it's purpose. There was nothing in the description.

There's a full description on the Abelo page linked to

 

[Erichalfbee]

There's a full description on the Abelo page linked to

When bees swarm they will all try and exit the hive wherever they can. This specially designed device with its lightweight transparent cover draws bees towards the light and the curved angle allows them to observe outside the hive. When they are ready to exit the hive and begin their mating process the pressure of the bees pushes off the cover and indicates the bees have swarmed.

There is no need to check the hive and disturb any remaining bees.

Dimension of the tip placed in the vent: 20x50mm

Caution: the lightweight cap is very fragile do not push on to tightly as it may split.

Oh dear. What about the queen cells left behind?

Maybe it’s just easier to make somebody else do the work. You could watch in the sunshine with a glass of wine and just eat the honey when it’s ready.
Long range beekeeping.

 

[Boston Bees]

When bees swarm they will all try and exit the hive wherever they can. This specially designed device with its lightweight transparent cover draws bees towards the light and the curved angle allows them to observe outside the hive. When they are ready to exit the hive and begin their mating process the pressure of the bees pushes off the cover and indicates the bees have swarmed.

There is no need to check the hive and disturb any remaining bees.

Dimension of the tip placed in the vent: 20x50mm

Caution: the lightweight cap is very fragile do not push on to tightly as it may split.

Oh dear. What about the queen cells left behind?

Maybe it’s just easier to make somebody else do the work. You could watch in the sunshine with a glass of wine and just eat the honey when it’s ready.
Long range beekeeping.

I think perhaps it's badly worded.

The advantage would be that you only have to go into that one hive, rather than checking every hive in your apiary to see which one spewed out the swarm that you have just found in your tree.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Anybody tried it?

 

[pete darbyshire]

I didn't realise a swarm was "the mating process"....prime swarm, old queen?