Unusual for a strong colony not to swarm w/2nnd year queen ?

[BrianO]

Hi

2 Hives , both strong.

1 National double brood
1 National Brood & 1/2

To date no queen cells this year, ( appreciate June to go ), only a couple of empty play cups.

With all the talk of swarming , is this an unusual scenario at this time of the season. ?

Cheers

Brian.

 

[snelgrove]

Hi

2 Hives , both strong.

1 National double brood
1 National Brood & 1/2

To date no queen cells this year, ( appreciate June to go ), only a couple of empty play cups.

With all the talk of swarming , is this an unusual scenario at this time of the season. ?

Cheers

Brian.

I have similar but still time, wouldn't say it's unusual an unswarmed colony should produce a good crop of honey be glad

 

[wessexmario]

How old are your queens?

 

[Dishmop]

perhaps they like the food there, so they're going to stay a few extra nights..

 

[JohnRoss]

I have one colony that has just last week produced it's first queen cell after three full seasons.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Whats the weather been like ?

 

[beeno]

Hi Brian,
If you give them enough room, it is not so unusual. This year I have made an early AS a couple of weeks ago, but this is unusual for my hives. However, this is a newcomer from last year. I put a lot of early swarming down to people feeding or leaving excessive winter stores on the hives. Late supercedure seems to be the name of the game with mine, but the draw back with that is that you end up going into winter with an untested queen.

 

[BrianO]

Hi Guys

Wessex: Interesting, both prolific layers born last year , know as they were newly crowned after their predecessors , for want of a better term, and excuse my language...
Buggered off for pastures greener ..

Thanks Beeno, Yes, did focus on giving them plenty of space from early on, as wanted to TRY surpress or at least delay the swarming instinct kicking in.

the question ... Should I continue to provide more brood space or maybe QE and super to get honey from now on ?

Another question: One hive on brood and half, would like to reclaim that super they have laid in, IF I need to give them more space should I be adding standard brood box ... under that super with brood in it. Maybe still to cold for that ?

Nigel: Weather been all over the place, as in lousy one week, then 20 degrees another day, then 18 , then back to 13 today, and next few days forecast as overcast and blustery and average 12/13 degrees.

John: OK, Interesting did not think they could go that long without swarming kicking in.

perhaps they like the food there, so they're going to stay a few extra nights.

Perhaps, maybe it was the scenic surroundings or the in hive home cinema system, no expense spared for my guys. or the fact that I talked to them.

I have similar but still time, wouldn't say it's unusual an unswarmed colony should produce a good crop of honey be glad

. Glad i would be.

 

[Finman]

.
Nothing unusual in swarming or in non swarming.