Swarms

[Curly green fingers]

Hi , I've collected two swarms in two days there both now in nats hives .
1st swarm are covering 5 frames pollen and nectar coming in.
2nd swarm is covering all 11 frames and bringing in pollen and nectar .
Both swarms have a mix of foundation and drawn comb and are both drawing foundation really quickly .
No eggs being layed yet and queen's haven't been found as yet .
Q do both queen's sound like there mated ?
Any other advice would be welcomed.
Thanks
Mark.
The nectar would be there own of loading it in the drawn comb??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Q do both queen's sound like there mated ?

Only way of telling is if you find eggs - contrary to the misguided belief bandied about, bees will gather pollen regardless of whether the queen is mated or not - or even present at all.
Have three nucs in the home apiary now with virgin queens - all bringing in pollen

 

[Cuckmere couple]

thanks all, useful thread

ive got 5 swarms in nucs...all varying sizes...left to see whats inside etc

but, 3 have drawn 4-5 frames completely within 2 days - one has laid up a frame in that day too

so, the one that has laid up the comb they've drawn must have already been mated - she is however unmarked

question - what colour do you mark a mated queen?

my plan was to mark the colour of the year i got her and record it as such

 

[Curly green fingers]

Only way of telling is if you find eggs - contrary to the misguided belief bandied about, bees will gather pollen regardless of whether the queen is mated or not - or even present at all.
Have three nucs in the home apiary now with virgin queens - all bringing in pollen

I'll keep an eye out for egg's as there's both drawn comb and foundation, if both queen's are mated they should both start laying straight away??

 

[Murox]

A mated queen with a swarm will have reduced her laying and been slimmed down for the swarming itself , she will need a day or two to start laying again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

question - what colour do you mark a mated queen?

my plan was to mark the colour of the year i got her and record it as such

If it was a virgin queen in a swarm then mated in my hive - I know what year she emerged so I'd mark her with the correct colour - if it's a swarm that arrived with a mated queen, I have no real idea how old she is, so I mark them a totally different colour - usually fluorescent pink

 

[Curly green fingers]

A mated queen with a swarm will have reduced her laying and been slimmed down for the swarming itself , she will need a day or two to start laying again.

I'll be looking at them both on Saturday if the weather permits .
Cheers murox
I'm collecting lots of equipment later then the wife said she wants my wallet

 

[Murox]

But it will be empty then !!!

 

[Curly green fingers]

But it will be empty then !!!

It will but I'll have empty nucs also
I wonder if i can get more bee's hum ..
I'm looking to extract on the weekend from the home apiary this honey is for the family and friends. I'm not keeping any from the farm well not the osr any way.

 

[beeno]

Hi , I've collected two swarms in two days there both now in nats hives .
Any other advice would be welcomed.
Thanks
Mark.

A queen will need feeding Royal Jelly and the nurse bees require pollen to produce that.

 

[MerryBee]

A swarm from an unknown source could be carrying a high varroa load. So its a good idea to treat it before there is any sealed brood, using vape or trickle of oxalic acid.

 

[Curly green fingers]

A swarm from an unknown source could be carrying a high varroa load. So its a good idea to treat it before there is any sealed brood, using vape or trickle of oxalic acid.

I plan to let them settle for a week then do a sugar test first .
And then treat with apivar ?

 

[MerryBee]

Apivar needs to be left on for at least 6 weeks.
Oxalic treatment takes 5 minutes and is extremely effective as long as you do it when there is no sealed brood, and if your swarm came with a mated queen you could have sealed brood as early as 9 days after you captured the swarm.
IMHO oxalic is the best option for a swarm.
Leave the Apivar for the autumn treatment if you need it

 

[Curly green fingers]

Apivar needs to be left on for at least 6 weeks.
Oxalic treatment takes 5 minutes and is extremely effective as long as you do it when there is no sealed brood, and if your swarm came with a mated queen you could have sealed brood as early as 9 days after you captured the swarm.
IMHO oxalic is the best option for a swarm.
Leave the Apivar for the autumn treatment if you need it

Ive got some crystals left I'll use that if needs be and do a trickle treatment.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Murox]

I was offered a swarm today; regrettably I had to pass it by as retrieving it from a second floor gutter is beyond my abilities these days.

 

[Curly green fingers]

I was offered a swarm today; regrettably I had to pass it by as retrieving it from a second floor gutter is beyond my abilities these days.

That's a shame .
" A swarm in may is worth a load of hay"
I don't know why because I've had to buy two more complete hives , fuel to collect swarms ,
Ear Ache from the wife for spending time on more bee's .
It's okay though because the golden stuff gets her every time