Triple swarming hive

[GaryH]

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

Recommend

 

[ericbeaumont]

light touch keeper, just letting them alone most of the time

Looks like I need a crash course on swarm prevention

Let-alone beekeeping used to be common and if you live in a rural area with no close neighbours, you might get away with it. Does beg the question: why do you keep bees? They are a hands-on job and learning is continual, both good reasons to have them. If you you're not interested in either...

So far, repeated swarming has given the colonies brood breaks which will have restricted varroa reproduction. Once you get to grips with regular 7-day checks and reduce swarming, you will have to manage varroa as well. Some say to let them learn to deal with the mite, but that is not a road for a beginner.

These will give you a good start: Haynes Bee Manual; local BKA training course; 7-day checks; know how to manage QCs.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Let-alone beekeeping used to be common and if you live in a rural area with no close neighbours, you might get away with it. Does beg the question: why do you keep bees? They are a hands-on job and learning is continual, both good reasons to have them. If you you're not interested in either...

So far, repeated swarming has given the colonies brood breaks which will have restricted varroa reproduction. Once you get to grips with regular 7-day checks and reduce swarming, you will have to manage varroa as well. Some say to let them learn to deal with the mite, but that is not a road for a beginner.

Or he could join @Beesnaturally who does something akin

 

[drex]

However you choose to keep your bees, I urge beekeepers to think before doing and to work with the bees and not against them. Think what would the bees do in nature.
For example, in the area I have moved to, open crown boards seem to be the trend. I have a job when I tell them I have solid crown boards, until I say to them that in tree cavities they have one opening at the bottom and none at the top. I also ask how often their bees put propolis over the hole. The light then goes on for them. I am gradually convincing them about top insulation too.

 

[thorn]

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

And they'll have a feast before they go. Hence the OP only getting about a super of honey per hive.

 

[ericbeaumont]

is there any reason I would want to prevent swarming?

Last professional quote for removing a swarm that had established a nest above a bedroom ceiling: £4k, including ceiling repairs.

Did a job taking a nest out (had a call about another in the same road this week) through the daughter's bedroom ceiling; by the time the housing association faffed about, put up scaffolding, thought we found asbestos, did the job, cleared up (room tidier than at the start) the charge was well North of £2k, and that was five years ago.

Not many can afford that sort of money (could you?) to remove the consequence of the absence of swarm control, so yes, there is good reason to manage swarming by simple methods and 7-day checks.

PS: that £4k job: we charged £600, less the repairs, for a day and a half of sweaty work. Still a lot of money for your neighbours to fork out. Maybe you don't have neighbours, and the swarms find hollow trees and live happily ever after? Not really: Seeley's research showed that only 25% of wild swarms survive the winter.

 

[Garry R]

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

I think that you have overlooked one thing. You use a queen excluder which is fine but what that does is restrict the queen's laying space and that can be a real driver of swarming not necessarily the availability of the space to the entire colony although super space is a help. Rather than give the swarms to other beekeepers why not pre-empt the swarm by asking the recipient beekeeper to provide a hive in advance to make an artificial swarm and avoid the risk of a swarm absconding into a roof or wall space which, as has been said, can lead to a hefty bill for removal. After all, if you are giving the swarm away the beekeeper must have a spare hive to put it in so no loss to him in advance and a free swarm. Your responsibility will be appreciated by all.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I think that you have overlooked one thing. You use a queen excluder which is fine but what that does is restrict the queen's laying space and that can be a real driver of swarming not necessarily the availability of the space to the entire colony although super space is a help. Rather than give the swarms to other beekeepers why not pre-empt the swarm by asking the recipient beekeeper to provide a hive in advance to make an artificial swarm and avoid the risk of a swarm absconding into a roof or wall space which, as has been said, can lead to a hefty bill for removal. After all, if you are giving the swarm away the beekeeper must have a spare hive to put it in so no loss to him in advance and a free swarm. Your responsibility will be appreciated by all.

Ah....but which "half" do you give away?

 

[Garry R]

Well he is giving the swarm away at the moment so why not still give it away and as now he ends up with the new queen. He is happy with the honey he is getting so no change really.