Triple swarming hive

[Stuart Pitches]

Looking for reassurance more than anything else I think.

I have 2 colonies in my north devon garden. Last year one of them swarmed 3 times and the original colony survived just fine. Everyone I talked to said that was pretty unusual.

In the last 6 weeks both of my colonies have swarmed 3 times each. Each time I collect them up as they always seem to end up at a neighbours and give them away to local keepers. All of the new colonies bar one have been totally fine, with the other one surviving but being a bit small.

I am hoping that this behaviour is due to them living in a pretty ideal environment and not anything else? I would be worried if my colonies kept leaving but it’s always splitting.

I’m a very light touch keeper, just letting them alone most of the time. I only take honey once or twice a year and never have to feed them. In 5 years I have only lost 1 colony.

Attached are a few swarm photos.

 

[drex]

Bees swarm. That is their natural behaviour. It can be aggravated if they do not have enough room in the colony. You say you are " light touch", that is probably the key with no swarm prevention procedures going on

 

[Do224]

Looking for reassurance more than anything else I think.

I have 2 colonies in my north devon garden. Last year one of them swarmed 3 times and the original colony survived just fine. Everyone I talked to said that was pretty unusual.

In the last 6 weeks both of my colonies have swarmed 3 times each. Each time I collect them up as they always seem to end up at a neighbours and give them away to local keepers. All of the new colonies bar one have been totally fine, with the other one surviving but being a bit small.

I am hoping that this behaviour is due to them living in a pretty ideal environment and not anything else? I would be worried if my colonies kept leaving but it’s always splitting.

I’m a very light touch keeper, just letting them alone most of the time. I only take honey once or twice a year and never have to feed them. In 5 years I have only lost 1 colony.

Attached are a few swarm photos.

No inspections in the brood chamber at all?….just supers on in the spring and then off when they’re full?

Do you use queen excluders?

Get much honey?

 

[Stuart Pitches]

Bees swarm. That is their natural behaviour. It can be aggravated if they do not have enough room in the colony. You say you are " light touch", that is probably the key with no swarm prevention procedures going on

Thanks.

Neither of the supers are anywhere near full so there is space. I could always put another one on I guess.

So if I have enough colonies and enough honey, is there any reason I would want to prevent swarming?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’m a very light touch keeper,

If you don’t practice any swarm management your colonies will swarm three or maybe even more times. It’s what bees do.

 

[Erichalfbee]

So if I have enough colonies and enough honey, is there any reason I would want to prevent swarming?

Swarms getting into roof spaces chimneys soffits and walls. Not much fun for the poor householder faced with that.

 

[Stuart Pitches]

No inspections in the brood chamber at all?….just supers on in the spring and then off when they’re full?

Do you use queen excluders?

Get much honey?

I go in maybe 3 times a year on average. I do exclude from the super. I never take a whole super at once. Maybe 8 frames max.

Honey wise we probably get a supers worth from each hive a year. Maybe a little less.

 

[Stuart Pitches]

Thanks.

Neither of the supers are anywhere near full so there is space. I could always put another one on I guess.

So if I have enough colonies and enough honey, is there any reason I would want to prevent swarming?

If you don’t practice any swarm management your colonies will swarm three or maybe even more times. It’s what bees do.

Thanks. Good to know. For some reason I thought once a summer was the norm but that seems to be incorrect.

 

[Stuart Pitches]

Swarms getting into roof spaces chimneys soffits and walls. Not much fun for the poor householder faced with that.

Good point. I catch just about every swarm and make a new colony but I see that I could get ahead of the curve and split them manually. Swarming bees are pretty cool though.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Thanks. Good to know. For some reason I thought once a summer was the norm but that seems to be incorrect.

The first swarm takes around half the bees and the queen, leaving behind any number of queen cells. If the colony is still strong the bees will guard the emerging virgins till they are ready to fly and another swarm will issue with another half if the colony. A third may go too before the bees deal with the spares and settle down with their choice. Sometimes bees swarm themselves to extinction leaving a colony too weak to survive the winter

 

[Erichalfbee]

Swarming bees are pretty cool though.

Only to a beekeeper.

 

[Stuart Pitches]

The first swarm takes around half the bees and the queen, leaving behind any number of queen cells. If the colony is still strong the bees will guard the emerging virgins till they are ready to fly and another swarm will issue with another half if the colony. A third may go too before the bees deal with the spares and settle down with their choice. Sometimes bees swarm themselves to extinction leaving a colony too weak to survive the winter

Yes I was worried about that. We have kept one of the swarms and will combine later in the year if one of the other hives looks weak. Thanks.

 

[Stuart Pitches]

Only to a beekeeper.

Looks like I need a crash course on swarm prevention. Thanks.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have 2 colonies in my north devon garden. Last year one of them swarmed 3 times and the original colony survived just fine. Everyone I talked to said that was pretty unusual

unless you reduced the queen cells down to one after the first swarm left, it's not at all unusual - in fact you are lucky they only cast twice.

 

[hemo]

To reduce swarming and it becoming a nusiance with neighbours , one has to actively manage colonies on a regular basis.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

So if I have enough colonies and enough honey, is there any reason I would want to prevent swarming?

it's anti social and can spoil other's enjoyment of their space, as well as costing them money, it can weaken the colony leading to it's collapse, just leaving them alone and not making regular interventions can have a negative effect on a colony. It can lead to spread of disease.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Looks like I need a crash course on swarm prevention. Thanks.

I think you need to read a few books - try the Haynes beekeeping manual as a starter.

 

[Erichalfbee]

it's anti social and can spoil other's enjoyment of their space, as well as costing them money, it can weaken the colony leading to it's collapse, just leaving them alone and not making regular interventions can have a negative effect on a colony. It can lead to spread of disease.

Mind you, it's probably the only way the bees are coping with varroa

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

another reason to get into the hive - varroa control

 

[JamezF]

it's anti social and can spoil other's enjoyment of their space, as well as costing them money

This is a very important point. Getting someone to remove a swarm that has decided to make a new home in the roof of a house or a chimney where it causes a problem can cost well into four or even five figures. If any beekeeper told me that they never lost a swarm I'd be highly unlikely to believe them -- it's too easy to miss a well-hidden queen cell sometimes, but responsible management of our livestock means that all beekeepers should attempt to minimise swarming in my view and I don't think some BKAs running beginners' courses emphasise it anywhere near enough.

James