Very strange mini-swarm

[hive-got-bees]

Close to my home in London is a tennis-ball-sized swarm of bees hanging from a tree. They've been there for the last 2 weeks or so, and during the day, bees fly to and from it, as if to a hive. Any ideas why they are doing this?- why haven't they found a cavity to settle in by now? And is it worth collecting them and putting them in a mini-nuc, or are they simply too small in number to survive the winter?

 

[Beauhawk]

Well I think it's fair to say that they will not survive the winter as they are so their only chance if if someone collects and sticks them in a poly nuc or the like but then the survival chances seem low.

They are probably out foraging which is why you see them flying during the day.

Where in London are they, perhaps a local beek may come and collect?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Would collection involve collecting any comb and brood they might have? London conditions have been exceptionally favourable the last 2 weeks?

 

[sharonh]

Collect them, they deserve a chance.
Just be careful about disease and your own colony's.
if you had another place to put them, as a temporary measure ,until you know their full condition.
Feed them well & see what happens.
Sharon

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

You've been beekeeping for 2 years, but it shows you with no colonies. If that's wrong, or you have a friendly mentor etc, a frame of brood and/or stores would make a huge difference. Again, they ARE around in London at the moment and the forecast is holding up after a cold Thursday.

 

[hive-got-bees]

I do have two hives, just haven't updated my profile. But isn't it too late to give them a frame of brood...there would be no way they could build up in sufficient numbers before the winter? And I could put them in a poly, but, again, there are so few of them that I don't see how they could survive the winter. And I don't really want to introduce them to either of my colonies in case they are diseased.

 

[Roola]

I do have two hives, just haven't updated my profile. But isn't it too late to give them a frame of brood...there would be no way they could build up in sufficient numbers before the winter? And I could put them in a poly, but, again, there are so few of them that I don't see how they could survive the winter. And I don't really want to introduce them to either of my colonies in case they are diseased.

Do you not have another site you could move them to? If so might be worth givinh them a chance at least? If there are enough to nurse the brood and you can spare it then its not too late.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I do have two hives, just haven't updated my profile. But isn't it too late to give them a frame of brood...there would be no way they could build up in sufficient numbers before the winter? And I could put them in a poly, but, again, there are so few of them that I don't see how they could survive the winter. And I don't really want to introduce them to either of my colonies in case they are diseased.

Yes it's obviously not worth a merge. And I don't know enough to assess how successful introducing a frame would be; others will have a view. All I would say is it's amazing what people seem to get through the winter in those little boxes and the forecast does look good for now in our little sub-tropical island-in-an-island... Do you have a poly nuc box, or can borrow one?

 

[drstitson]

they deserve a chance in an appropriately sized poly mating nuc - apidea, keiler etc.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

...or whip one up with some expanded polystyrene and glue. <ADD>Actually, forget that. Not a great idea.</ADD>

 

[HM Honey]

"A Tennis ball sized Swarm" ?

Their dead already, leave them be. Very little chance of them making it through winter and why weaken one of your existing colonies this late in the season?

And I wouldnt even consider combining them into one of your own colonies as you have no idea where they stand regarding desease.

You cant save every bee, and may end up reducing the chances of one of your own colonies making it to spring in doing so.

 

[BeeJayBee]

But isn't it too late to give them a frame of brood...there would be no way they could build up in sufficient numbers before the winter? And I could put them in a poly, but, again, there are so few of them that I don't see how they could survive the winter.

they deserve a chance

If you leave them where they are they will die, if you put them into a warm box they might not.

If you give them a frame of brood you will also need to give them some nurse bees as there probably won't be enough to keep the brood warm. Adding more bees could mean fighting.

 

[Beauhawk]

Where in London are they? Someone will at least give them a chance if it is fairly close.

 

[user 6228]

...or whip one up with some expanded polystyrene and glue. <ADD>Actually, forget that. Not a great idea.</ADD>

some one on this forum (not me) got a mugful of bees through winter, using a folding frame and very very thick kingspan.
horizontal crossection area down, height up to allow them to have a comfort point, insulation up up up.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

Ha: I thought of you; it was the material I rethought, not the concept.

 

[drstitson]

""A Tennis ball sized Swarm" ?
Their dead already, leave them be."

sure - but why not give them a chance - tennis ball sounds good enough for an apidea and there's time for a little more brood rearing before winter.

 

[thebhoy]

where in london are you and are they collectable?
Always worth a try to save them, by the sounds of it they may have some comb and are rearing brood already.....will surely die if left.

 

[REDWOOD]

Probably the remains of a swarm that was collected and the queens scent is still there, I would pick them up and shake them in front of a hive

 

[eric]

Probably the remains of a swarm that was collected and the queens scent is still there, I would pick them up and shake them in front of a hive

 

[Stiffy]

Probably the remains of a swarm that was collected and the queens scent is still there, I would pick them up and shake them in front of a hive

Not sure I would shake in front of hive unless I knew were they had come from . Might be carrying something nasty !
S