Swarming is begginning

[Erichalfbee]

Yes but according to Seeley it's the nest site scouts that instigate the exodus and there are none; all, being foraging bees, having flown home to their old box.

 

[psafloyd]

Yes the newer beekeepers of today seem to think that feeding fondant throughout the winter is the way forward. Older beekeepers just fed heavily in Sept. if required, which in most years was sufficient until the following March.

I don't feed in September as I prefer them to have their own honey than sugar syrup. I know, it's heresy, but I just don't like doing it.

 

[Tremyfro]

Hearing about swarm fever in other warmer parts of the country. I don't think any swarms would climb our hill though!

 

[pargyle]

Hearing about swarm fever in other warmer parts of the country. I don't think any swarms would climb our hill though!

Well ... I'm in one of the warmest bits of the country and it ain't happening down here yet ... This time last year ... it WAS starting - by 1st May it was swarm central.

 

[Tremyfro]

I think I am safe for a little while longer!
I did a split on Hive2 yesterday in preparation for requeening with a Buckfast Queen. She arrived yesterday...in all her glory. She will be going into a pretty pale pink poly hive in my new Bee Yard. Then there will be two hives in there.
We found a lovely shed on Gumtree.....so soon I will have somewhere to keep all the Bee goodies that are scattered around the garden, kitchen and laundry room. The man selling the shed promised I could have the work tops he had in there too. Ooooo...can't wait to get set up.
Hive 2 had been busy filling up the super we put on. Amazing how quickly they tidied up the comb from last year....looked like new! They will need another super soon....though I expect a check on the production whilst the queen restores the population.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well ... I'm in one of the warmest bits of the country and it ain't happening down here yet ... This time last year ... it WAS starting - by 1st May it was swarm central.

Mid April last year I had a cast swarm arrive in a bait hive.

 

[Jimmys Mum]

Don't worry. They have no foraging bees

I will try this when it's time......not yet......
Let us know how it goes, please.

Ok Erica, an update for you. Remember the first part of my 'Snelgrove modified II' artificial swarm was on the 13th April. For nothing other than peace of mind, I checked through the original hive today and the queen is still present and laying, all queen cells seen on the 13th have been torn down, the bees are drawing one of the new foundation frames inserted to replace the 2 brood frames removed. So yes, Wally Shaw's explanation of what would happen is spot on .......so far! Phew.

The only thing I would say is that (predictably) they have used up a LOT of the stores that were present in the old brood box. Lots of hungry brood to feed, few foragers and the 2 supers were removed and placed on the new AS hive with all of the old foragers. I noted today that those supers are still being fast filled with OSR nectar and getting very heavy, I thought about adding a third but then remembered that they've had 9 frames of foundation down in the BB to draw (doh!) so will leave it as is for now. Will be interesting to see next week how the AS is getting on drawing those frames with a hive full of mostly older bees. Shame I had no drawn comb.

Luckily I have some spare frames full of capped store so I transferred one of those accross to the original hive and will keep an eye on the store situation.

Next job is to inspect the AS hive on the 22nd/23rd to tear down emergency queen cells and repatriate the queen. It's actually a lot more simple than I first thought. If I need to carry out another, I might try it vertically using a split board.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

With a swarm made up to 70% of young bees, this would in theory seem to be the perfect storm if they have enough stores?!!

No - the swarm itself may have a lot of young bees, but it is the older foragers that instigate the swarming - hence in Pagden moving the hive with QC's and nurse bees to one side so that all the foragers end up in an empty hive with the queen and loads of work to do leaving the youngsters in peace to continue brood rearing.

 

[Erichalfbee]

all queen cells seen on the 13th have been torn down, So yes, Wally Shaw's explanation of what would happen is spot on .......so far! Phew.

The only thing I would say is that (predictably) they have used up a LOT of the stores that were present in the old brood box. Lots of hungry brood to feed, few foragers and the 2 supers were removed and placed on the new AS hive with all of the old foragers. Will be interesting to see next week how the AS is getting on drawing those frames with a hive full of mostly older bees. Shame I had no drawn comb.

Thanks for that, very encouraging. I would have been tempted, if the box before the split had 2 supers, to put one on the brood box.
Don't worry about old bees drawing out comb. They always manage it if you put the queen on one frame into a box of foundation when you do a Pagden.

My attempt may be sooner than I had hoped. Due to laggardly action and procrastination last year I have had to combine two pairs of colonies. That now leaves them with brood on 8/9 frames a few wall to wall. Boxes will be ready for next inspection.

 

[Russel]

Here's our first call of the season today in Cwmbran.

 

[Dishmop]

Here's our first call of the season today in Cwmbran.

Dont you have tree and bushes there?
or are they waiting for the green man?

 

[Russel]

Dont you have tree and bushes there?
or are they waiting for the green man?

Very obliging bees down here! Mind you we've a regular call out to a gas vent in Caerleon where they're not so well behaved.

 

[BeeJayBee]

... we've a regular call out to a gas vent in Caerleon where they're not so well behaved.

Strange thing for a beekeeper to be called out to deal with, we get called out to swarms.

 

[tractorjohn]

I found charged q-cells in a strong hive today while inspecting before the move to the rape tomorrow this is two out of seven with the others showing no interest yet.