Swarms not as plentiful this year

[user 6228]

Now we know you're making it up. "Primus" is Latin for "portable camping stove", obviously

James

I thought it was Optimus?

 

[Sam G]

Since May 2nd , we've had swarms move into 3 of our bait boxes and have been called to remove a further 5 swarms in our area (Warrington, Cheshire), one had a red marked Queen which took me by surprise, 3 were yellow queens and the others were unmarked, it's definitely swarmy weather here at the moment!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Swansea BKA report a constant stream of swarm calls today - even busier than last year

 

[Parsonage Bees]

No swarms in my bait boxes last year but one arrived this afternoon when it was cool and overcast. Was expecting more action over the weekend when it's set to be warmer and sunny.

 

[Just Steve]

Absolutely no interest in any of my 6 swarm boxes so far. Nil, zilch, zippo. No calls either. West Midlands.

 

[Fellstoflats]

Absolutely no interest in any of my 6 swarm boxes so far. Nil, zilch, zippo. No calls either. West Midlands.

Things have been sparse here to, South Oxfordshire.

 

[JamezF]

So odd. I was offered another two today, and I think I have another bait hive that has been occupied too. I'll do the rounds tomorrow and check.

James

 

[madasafish]

Last week I picked up a big swarm.
Today a cast arrived at one of my bait hives..

By July I shall have an extra 6 colonies if the current rate continues

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’ve eight swarms at the moment but lost another when I left the box on site to collect the stragglers and they p****d off. Why do I do it?
I haven’t checked most of my 20+ bait hives in the last 5 days so I may have some more.

 

[JamezF]

I’ve eight swarms at the moment but lost another when I left the box on site to collect the stragglers and they p****d off. Why do I do it?

It's strange how they make their decisions to stay or go. I spoke to someone this evening who had watched a swarm occupy an empty hive only for them to abscond the next day.

My answer for why I do it however is in a post to the local BKA from a woman who has had a swarm move into her roof with bees finding their way into the house and stinging her children and who doesn't have the £1400 she's been quoted to remove them. And similar stories. I have the skills and (for the moment at least) the wherewithall to reduce the likelihood of that happening, so where it's practical I try to do so. To act otherwise would be to be an arsehole, as far as I'm concerned.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

It's strange how they make their decisions to stay or go. I spoke to someone this evening who had watched a swarm occupy an empty hive only for them to abscond the next day.

My answer for why I do it however is in a post to the local BKA from a woman who has had a swarm move into her roof with bees finding their way into the house and stinging her children and who doesn't have the £1400 she's been quoted to remove them. And similar stories. I have the skills and (for the moment at least) the wherewithall to reduce the likelihood of that happening, so where it's practical I try to do so. To act otherwise would be to be an arsehole, as far as I'm concerned.

James

I collect swarms for exactly the same reasons as I’ve seen swarms disappear under tiles which cost the home owner a fortune in access to get out . I saw another go into a flat roof this week in one of my landlords cottages.
I actually meant why do I leave the box for stragglers as they inevitably piss off!

 

[Do224]

I’ve eight swarms at the moment but lost another when I left the box on site to collect the stragglers and they p****d off. Why do I do it?
I haven’t checked most of my 20+ bait hives in the last 5 days so I may have some more.

Wow 20 bait hives? How many swarms do they normally catch in a season? Do you find that just a handful of them catch most of the swarms or are they spread across the lot?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I have 16 apiaries at present with a bait hive at each to indicate scouting activity of my hives so when I see scouts at them I do a rigorous inspection of my hives. I have others at friends properties.
I have been tied up for a few days with grandkids so have not been inspecting in my normal routine.
I think I rarely get my own swarms in these bait hives but I do find that certain ones are more productive than others.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It's strange how they make their decisions to stay or go. I spoke to someone this evening who had watched a swarm occupy an empty hive only for them to abscond the next day.

had one last week - settled into a stack of deeps with frames in waiting sorting/disposal. all I did was tidyl everything up and gave them a proper floor and crownboard (they had entered via a gap they found under the roof I'd put on to rainproof them - there was no floor - it was wide open stacked on a spare hive stand) nearly a week after their arrival, the day after I'd witnessed foragers coming back laden with both pollen and nectar - they buggered off!

 

[JamezF]

Yesterday I had four swarms in bait hives, with a further two that I guessed might be second swarms trying to occupy the same box. I moved them into separate boxes and checked one on my way past today. They seem to be happy and haven't absconded, so perhaps my guess was correct. For now I shall assume that yesterday I ended up with six more swarms.

This morning when I went out to open the greenhouse and polytunnel I noticed a swarm in a bivouac on a plum tree. I assumed it must have been from one of my hives even though I couldn't reason how and collected it. Then this afternoon another swarm arrived, using a crab apple tree to bivouac on. I saw that arrive and it certainly wasn't from the direction of my hives, so now I'm doubting the first though I can't think where it might have come from. I'm really getting down to the scraps of kit now however. I have more, but it's stuff I've taken out of use this Spring because it needs repairing. I have no suitable crown boards nor roofs until I repair/make more. I ended up collecting the swarm in a plastic bucket and tipping it straight into a hive. I'm having to use one of the boards I use to top and tail my super stacks over winter as a crown board/roof. Fortunately no rain is forecast for ages.

I'm just above to move them both out of the way.

I could do with a break now. I think I'm up to 16 collected and still present, one refused because it was in a chimney, one absconded after collection and four flew off whilst I was getting organised to collect them. Normally I get no more than four calls about swarms each year. Usually fewer.

James

 

[Buzzo]

1st one of the year today , 10 scouts for a week then Bedlam.

 

[Somerford]

The weather is the influence on swarming. This season so far has been colder and wetter than last spring, perhaps 3 weeks behind. The bees sensed a change on the way about 10-12 days ago and last week I collected 9 swarms in 2 days in N Wiltshire.

So far this year I’ve collected 21 along with 4 that have found themselves homes in bait hives.

A further 4 absconded before I could get to them and 2 absconded from the skeps.

Today I witnessed a VQ depart on her mating flight and then return about 30 minutes later, all captured on video and photo

KR

S

 

[JamezF]

The weather is the influence on swarming.

Well, you say that, but I reckon it might be something to do with the fact that I made up around 200 frames earlier this year and tempted fate by assuming that would be more than I could possibly need for the season. I'm now down to my last dozen or so.

James

 

[Antipodes]

Today I witnessed a VQ depart on her mating flight and then return about 30 minutes later, all captured on video and photo

Excellent!

 

[Sam G]

Well, you say that, but I reckon it might be something to do with the fact that I made up around 200 frames earlier this year and tempted fate by assuming that would be more than I could possibly need for the season. I'm now down to my last dozen or so.

James

Ahaaaa, we did that too, so there's someone to share the blame now