Very quiet

[alldigging]

first calls just starting in North london, first one was saturday near Golders Green but i know a local allotment has had four swarms/castes this weekend from a beginner beekeeper's allotment apiary (unfortunate that it is behind my house. aaahhh)

Can you set out bait boxes? (Or send them a leaflet about merging colonies and swarm prevention?)

 

[Lucky Bee]

1st swarm box set up on Thursday evening... these arrived on Saturday!

They camped out overnight, but moved indoors on Sunday morning

Is that a Paynes poly nuc Pete.

 

[nantmoel]

Very quiet!

Only one swarm call so far (plus the obligatory "bees flying in and out of the airbrick" call).

I had one of those today and some solitary bees going into the drain holes of a velux window. - No swarm calls yet.

 

[peteinwilts]

it is...

I have cut out the feeding chamber (IMHO a bad design) and have two ekes to give it extra size for catching swarms.

For swarms only, I block off the grill

You can tell by the number on the side, I have a few!

 

[BeeJayBee]

Three calls today, all bumbles.

 

[alldigging]

Three calls today, all bumbles.

One yesterday, def beautiful bumbles.

 

[Stiffy]

Very small swarm 2 weeks ago on my manuka, now in an apidea it was that small!
3 empty Paynes nucs were actively being inspected by 30-40 bees last evening, glad I checked my bees the day before or I would have been concerned.
Had to split one of my own at an out apiary and close to OSR as they had decided to draw down Q cells.
S

 

[Gribbee]

Inspected a descent swarm that I collected last Thursday evening which I dumped in a 6 frame (foundation only) poly nuc.
All frames drawn and queen laying.

 

[Charley]

Three calls, three bumbles so far. Collected one bumble nestfrom compost heap as bin had fallen under children's trampoline and they had been stung! They travelled well in a ball of compost in a nuc and I put themin the corner of a nearby field at home.
As yet no honeybee swarms.

 

[BeeJayBee]

Aha! And so it begins!

Swarm call mid-morning, and a nice photo landed on my mobile. Bees originating from a wild colony are now safely tucked up in a nuc.

I hope the rest of this years swarm season doesn't turn out to be as bad as last year.

 

[kighill]

Two calls so far both tree bumblebees. One of which I managed to collect and put into a nest box.
This one will be relocated into the country where they will not be a nuisance and once vacated a very nice box for the bluetits.

 

[Sussex Bees]

I've had two swarms arrive into bait boxes in the last week, and another is getting a lot of attention.