Do224
Drone Bee
Scout numbers really building up this morning...
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What are your forecast maximums over the next few days?
What are your forecast maximums over the next few days?
Fingers crossed! It's certainly been busy with swarms for me down here in Kent, thanks to this warm spell. Here's hoping you're in luckAbout 20 Celsius for the next three days....numbers are still building (there were no bees yesterday morning)
My bees are a couple of miles from my house and I keep spare equipment in my garage. On Saturday I went outside near to my garage door and noticed 3 or 4 bees buzzing around possibly smelling the used equipment inside. I thought they may be scouts so I put a poly nuc with old drawn frames next to my garage door. Gradually over the weekend the numbers of bees arriving and going in has increased. I've just looked outside and there's loads buzzing about. They look like an active hive. Is this likely to be scouts with so many or are they robbing any old deposits which I dont think there was any? Am I safe to look in or will it put them off if they haven't moved in yet?
Thanks in advance for any replies.
I do hope so, my first swarm in 4 years of beekeeping. I have been concentrating on my couple of hives not catching new ones. Thanks.From your description, it sounds like a swarm has already taken up residence. I had one move into empty equipment myself the other day. This nice weather after so much cold/wet weather is perfect for swarms - any colony that was making preparations to swarm couldn't choose a better time to do it than the present.
Look to see if any bees are returning with pollen.I do hope so, my first swarm in 4 years of beekeeping. I have been concentrating on my couple of hives not catching new ones. Thanks.
This is essentially what happened to me what I thought was a swarm was in fact just lots of scoutsFrom your description, it sounds like a swarm has already taken up residence. I had one move into empty equipment myself the other day. This nice weather after so much cold/wet weather is perfect for swarms - any colony that was making preparations to swarm couldn't choose a better time to do it than the present.
This is essentially what happened to me what I thought was a swarm was in fact just lots of scouts
I moved a couple of boxes of old comb out of the garage and hid the rest At night fall they all left and I was disappointed
Yesterday I was ready all suggestions on this thread
Things I didn’t know like swarms don’t like varroa floors (so I put the tray in which was the best I could do
Yesterday when I got home from work I lifted the lid to add a drop of lemon grass oil only to find they’d taken up residence while I was gone
I’m very excited
I hope you all have success
It’s been such a cold anxious spring here in the west of Ireland
At last it’s a little warmer
In addition to the suggestion to look for pollen, tap on the side of the box once it"s dark with an ear against it. If there is a swarm in there you will hear a distinct roar. If no sound, then it is just scout bees visiting during daylight hours.I do hope so, my first swarm in 4 years of beekeeping. I have been concentrating on my couple of hives not catching new ones. Thanks.
You'd have to check for pollen on some of their legs or as per post #235 - if you can do that safely.View attachment 26425
This is the activity at my trap today...I thought I may have missed a swarm moving in too but I think this is just scout behaviour?
Seeing your video i definitely think you're in with a good chance here. I should say that I saw high levels of activity for some days before the swarm arrived. Like you i kept thinking 'could be today' & it never was. In the end I'd kind of given up hope & then they arrived!
Seeing your video i definitely think you're in with a good chance here. I should say that I saw high levels of activity for some days before the swarm arrived. Like you i kept thinking 'could be today' & it never was. In the end I'd kind of given up hope & then they arrived!
Keeping my fingers crossed for you - keep us all updated.
Well all the dozens of scouts that have been interested in my bait hive disappeared this afternoon. I’ve heard that tends to happen before a swarm arrives so was eagerly anticipating one but it wasn’t to be. Is it just likely to be the cooler weather today (about 17 Celsius max and overcast) or is it likely they found somewhere they preferred and are gone for good?
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