Swarm

[Nick W]

Hi

I have 2 hives and both of them swarmed today, at the same time.

They were both swarms themselves last year for my first colony each.

However I am concerned about the hive location.

It is at the top of my garden, they both face South.

They are in the top right hand side of my garden with fence on two rights (top and left).

Is it likely it was just time to swarm (a bit early) or they got too warm today?

So apart from a swarming opinion, are they in the wrong location - ie too sunny.

Thanks

Nick

 

[Silly Bee]

That sure is early IMO

Maybe you fed them to much and they ran out of space.

Did you have any/many drone brood?

 

[greatbritishhoney]

Facing south is good - it's unlikely to be anything to do with the temperature - it was a warm day today but still at least 10 degrees cooler than the height of summer.
More likley to be due to lack of space in the brood box.

 

[Poly Hive]

Last thing I woould be looking to blame is location.

You say that they both came from a swarm, so it follows it could be a swarmy strain? Could not but evidence suggests...

How many frames of brood did they have and how much room to expand to?

PH

 

[Vergilius]

Did you catch and hive the swarms???


Ben P

 

[Nick W]

Didnt catch it happened when I was at work.

I havent done my first inspection yet at weekends were not great weather and it was either rainy or cool.

Fed autumn with 1:1, then had fondant on over all winter (didnt want them to starve), changed to 1:1 when it was warmer so really tried to keep them fed.

I was, ironically, planning on doing an inspection this weekend!

Did I feed too much? How do you know what is the right amount to feed?

 

[Vergilius]

Didnt catch it happened when I was at work.

How do you know they swarmed then?

Ben P

 

[greatbritishhoney]

You can "heft" the hive - lift it up at the back to judge the weight of the stores - this takes a bit of practice though.
But, if they've swarmed you should be able to open up the brood box now and see how much space they had.

 

[susbees]

Meanwhile in Montgomeryshire we did our first inspections on the commercials today and the strongest was solid....bees all over the top of the box and that was with the foragers all out on the top fruit trees, white willows etc. Great.

BUT inside there was not a cell to be had, the centre of the middle brood frames was full of honey then brood hatching round about, and a few eggs. No sign of swarm plans though. Supered and breathed again!

 

[Tom Bick]

Hi Nick

So have you inspected to confirm it was a swarm it is early and to have both on the same day?

Perhaps the person who told you your hives swarmed witnessed a mass orientation flights?

 

[YorkshireBees]

Hi Nick

So have you inspected to confirm it was a swarm it is early and to have both on the same day?

Perhaps the person who told you your hives swarmed witnessed a mass orientation flights?

I have had days like that already this year, so many outside doing 1st flights or covering the outside of the hive a non beek would probably say they were swarming.

 

[Silly Bee]

Ditto ^^^

 

[drstitson]

agree with all the above - to a non-beek a very active hive in recent temps will have looked very "worrying" - mass orientation and generally spilling out around the entrance.

i'd wager your hives are ISQ but may well need more space asap.

 

[Nick W]

I can confirm both hives swarmed. When the neighbour called I rang a club member who went round.

He confirmed two swarms.

He managed to catch the first and took it for a new beek.

The second he came back for in the evening at which time it had gone .

So yes, I am sure. Will inspect this weekend but don't want to harm a new or queen cell.

 

[Erichalfbee]

He managed to catch the first and took it for a new beek.


Heavens, wouldn't he have kept it for you as a favour?



So yes, I am sure. Will inspect this weekend but don't want to harm a new or queen cell.

But there may be more than one and you might lose more bees?

 

[Tom Bick]

Ok Nick that’s interesting early swarms also given your location you must have a good spot for your bees.

Your problem may now be cast swarms? also perhaps a bit hasty in letting your club member take the swarm providing you had the kit to house it of course. If you could have held onto it for a few weeks so as to see if the original hives had requeened successfully and you are happy with the new queens.

I suppose you will have help at hand if you have problems through your club.

Good look interesting this beekeeping thing

 

[drstitson]

"I suppose you will have help at hand if you have problems through your club"

yes - they'll be more than willing to come and help themselves to his bees at every opportunity by the sound of it.

 

[Nick W]

To be fair I only have the 2 hives.

No nuc boxes or other hives - those are on order (thanks mr Hivemaker!)

 

[Moggs]

Nick. I'm 'down the road' from you. It's very early for swarms up here. Could you have overfed throughout autumn and into winter? There is a danger that hives become 'honey bound' with no room for the Q to lay up. If that was the case it could set up the swarming instinct, with a yearning for spring increase. Depends on how many bees came through the winter as there would be a fine balance between 'room for winter bees' v 'honey storage'.

 

[Vergilius]

Nick. I'm 'down the road' from you. It's very early for swarms up here. Could you have overfed throughout autumn and into winter? There is a danger that hives become 'honey bound' with no room for the Q to lay up. If that was the case it could set up the swarming instinct, with a yearning for spring increase. Depends on how many bees came through the winter as there would be a fine balance between 'room for winter bees' v 'honey storage'.

Nick,

Remember this: http://www.beekeepingforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7937&page=2

If you continually fed fondant unneccessarily over winter then they may have just nibbled at that, rather than eat their stores. Therefore, you could have a box-full of stores now with no space for HM to lay, thus, making her swarm.


Ben P