Two in 24 hours

[Beeandy]

Hello
It's been a long time since I posted anything but have been reading with interest over the years, but now I have problem.
I have two hives, one which swarmed about 2 weeks ago which I caught and installed into a third hive however that same hive that swarmed, swarmed again 24 hours later. ( really)
Which i caught and placed into a nuc box, because both swarms were small I thought that one swarm did not have a queen so I combined them.
This worked...but two weeks on I cannot find a queen or any egg laying just honey storing.
The double swarmed hive, I cannot find a queen or any egg laying.
So i have two hive's with no queens.
My other hive is doing very well and growing.

1. Do I wait until this hive that's doing well starts to produce queen cells and transfer queen cells to the other hives?
2. Transfer queen less hives to the hive that's doing well?
3. Buy a two queens

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

[masterBK]

I would assume that both hives now have virgin queens and in time (maybe another week or so) hopefully both will mate and start laying, The clues are you had two swarms (casts) from the same hive in 24 hours plus they were both small. You must have missed the prime swarm issuing about a week before and were not inspecting properly otherwise you would have seen the swarm queen cells. Be patient and I think you will see eggs within the next two weeks although best not to inspect for them for another week as bees somteimes ball young queens when colony disturbed and young queens sometimes fly off the frame being inspected and get lost.

 

[Beeandy]

Thanks BK
I just thought that one of the two swarms would not have a queen and the swarm with a queen would be from the original hive so would not be a virgin.
Also does it not take a week or more for a new queen to emerge after the queen and swarm have gone.
I have been in lock down for 2 weeks before the double swarm so the main swarm must have done it very quietly....low
Thanks again

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The clues are you had two swarms (casts) from the same hive in 24 hours plus they were both small.

Or a cast and a colt to be more precise?

 

[Beeandy]

Hi jenkins
Sorry I don't follow??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hi jenkins
Sorry I don't follow??

first swarm out is a prime (whether headed by a mated or virgin queen)
Second is a cast
third a colt
fourth a filly
and fifth (I think) a gelding - not much use for anything

 

[Curly green finger's]

first swarm out is a prime (whether headed by a mated or virgin queen)
Second is a cast
third a colt
fourth a filly
and fifth (I think) a gelding - not much use for anything

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...Vaw2Jfl2bpGxKyhLQL_dwYVze&cshid=1589046227328

I found this.

 

[enrico]

It is too easy to miss a prime swarm. 15 minutes is all it takes, long enough for you to go in for a cup of tea and you have missed it. It happens! Hope your begins mat successfully. Be patient and all should be we!!
E

 

[Beeandy]

Thank you Curly..now I understand the terms that Jenkins was conveying, I have learnt something else today concerning horse racing....sorry I mean bee keeping.. LOL
I do hope you're right Enrico I would hate to lose both hives, but just out of curiosity if a hive swarms twice in 24 hours surely one swarm does not have a queen ?
Many thanks

 

[enrico]

Every swarm will have a queen. The main one with your old queen and then every queen cell that emerges has a virgin queen who can also take swarm. A hive can swarm itself to death if you let it. Each virgin will get mated and make a new hive so the original hive may die but it's split into many parts, all with queen's but only one mated. It's called reproduction!!!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

just out of curiosity if a hive swarms twice in 24 hours surely one swarm does not have a queen ?
Many thanks

Looks like you missed the prime swarm so would have had multiple QC's left in the hive - material for multiple swarms, possibly all on the same day