What did you do in the Apiary today?

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yep, it is!! I removed the nadired super on Wednesday, the queen was obviously not impressed with the decrease in space.

Doubt that removing the nadir had anything to do with them swarming, the bees (nothing to do with the queen) will have made swarm preparations way before Wednesday.

 

[E&MBees]

Once they're sealed they need only to be kept warm, but I'd do it no later than day 14; you could make up a 3-frame nuc with the spare as back-up.

Ok. That is an idea. Do I take the frame with the queen cell on it and two others with bees, or the queen cell frame and two of just foundation. I could manage one drawn empty frame, the queen cell frame and undrawn foundation. Then fill the rest of the nuc with insulation? It’s a six frame box. I have syrup so could feed.

Thanks.

 

[E&MBees]

Doubt that removing the nadir had anything to do with them swarming, the bees (nothing to do with the queen) will have made swarm preparations way before Wednesday.

I was waiting for the weather to be warm enough to open up. Obviously waited too long. As a beginner I was hoping to remove the nadired super with a more experienced beekeeper but the lockdown put pay to that. At least I haven’t lost the bees.

 

[drex]

Spring cleaned top bar hive to remove old black comb. I open it very rarely, mainly to keep an eye out for disease. Loads of drones and drone brood, and plenty of worker brood.

 

[ericbeaumont]

I could manage one drawn empty frame, the queen cell frame and undrawn foundation. Then fill the rest of the nuc with insulation? It’s a six frame box. I have syrup so could feed.

Yes, go for that combo: three frames of bees are going to have an uphill struggle to draw two of foundation. If you buy more boxes, consider the BS 6-frame nuc; it can be divided into two x 3 frames.

 

[Walrus]

I moved 3 colonies from nuc boxes (overwintered 2019 queens) into brand new hives. Forgot my smoker but they were very well behaved due to the lovely weather & nectar flow. It is so beautiful out there...blossom, dandelions, hardwoods getting their leaves

video here

 

[victor meldrew]

I was waiting for the weather to be warm enough to open up. Obviously waited too long. As a beginner I was hoping to remove the nadired super with a more experienced beekeeper but the lockdown put pay to that. At least I haven’t lost the bees.

I removed a nadired super from under a 14x12 .
Just smoke from below ( not too much ) give them time to react , lift the brood box off the the super and place on the upturned roof . Remove the super and replace the brood box on the floor .
Examine the super to ensure the Queen isn’t in there . Look inside the roof also for her . She is almost certainly in the brood box .
You can examine this at your Leisure to find and perhaps remark her .



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Bee Bumble]

Visited two new outlying apiaries with only one over-wintered colony each. One doing famously, the other not. They are hopelessly queenless - may order an imported queen (don't like to do that), but there are probably not enough young bees left anyway. Therefore may have to merge them with a queen-right colony elsewhere. This is the only colony I have on 14x12, the rest are not compatible - so cannot easily introduce a frame with fresh eggs.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Visited two new outlying apiaries with only one over-wintered colony each. One doing famously, the other not. They are hopelessly queenless - may order an imported queen (don't like to do that), but there are probably not enough young bees left anyway. Therefore may have to merge them with a queen-right colony elsewhere. This is the only colony I have on 14x12, the rest are not compatible - so cannot easily introduce a frame with fresh eggs.

Whats the others on? National frames will drop in and they will build a bit of wax below.

 

[Tim.S]

Swapped the brood boxes around on the 3 breeder colonies. Keeps the little tykes occupied and stops them thinking about wandering off. Hopefully! My 2 original choices are both lovely to handle and going great, the third is doing well too but the temperament isn't what I want so they may get swapped with one in the out apiary that is looking good. Not bad but not great either.

 

[Bee Bumble]

Whats the others on? National frames will drop in and they will build a bit of wax below.

Dadant.

 

[Goran]

Today I started to place queen excluders and rotate. I am all sticky of fresh nectar, it is pouring from comb.. Pollen also a lot, had to remove some since all is going into blocade.. More and more are going over 8 frames of brood.. Will see, I must hurry to catch up with bees.. If I don't get them I could have them on the branches..
Some I place as third box only with surplus stores, later will reshuffle when I dig again into brood box below qe.. Happy times, eh..

 

[E&MBees]

Another busy day! The queen that swarmed yesterday, had another go today, despite the queen excluder under the brood box and a clipped wing. They eventually settled in my garden. Queen caught and caged this time. Added some syrup as an enticement to stay! Threatened execution if she doesn’t behave!

Queen cells capped in parent hive. Moved one with frame of bees to a poly nuc, dummied down to three frames with insulation. Feeder with syrup in place on nuc.

Thank you for all the advice that I have been given here and elsewhere. Much appreciated.

 

[XYZ]

Inspected the three colonies today. Local bees continue to grow rapidly. Buckfasts slowly building up. Nuc with 2018 queen made two empty cups so just waiting to see what they're planning. Only have small patches of brood on 3 frames and they are below average size-wise.

Forgot to switch out two national Abelo floors for the tunnel entrance floors I had made (JBM inspired design). Also forgot to clip my queens. I had friends and family watching on Zoom so was distracted by questions

Getting a Maisies poly brood box so will drop that on top of the nuc with a Qex between and fill it with the combs full of syrup I took from the colonies two weeks back. Hopefully that helps them and also gets me some drawn comb downstairs and empty comb upstairs. It's the dream.

 

[Ian123]

I inspected 1 colony 18 frames of brood I’ve removed the honey clogged 1s and replaced with foundation slap bang in the centre of the top brood, I’ve also added a super with the brood frames above. Decent 6 frame nucs inspected last week and moved up to a bb have now had a second added.

 

[enrico]

Another busy day! The queen that swarmed yesterday, had another go today, despite the queen excluder under the brood box and a clipped wing. They eventually settled in my garden. Queen caught and caged this time. Added some syrup as an enticement to stay! Threatened execution if she doesn’t behave!

Queen cells capped in parent hive. Moved one with frame of bees to a poly nuc, dummied down to three frames with insulation. Feeder with syrup in place on nuc.

Thank you for all the advice that I have been given here and elsewhere. Much appreciated.

Well done.....good outcome
E

 

[Goran]

Ufff.. swarm qcells.. Will see how it goes. Still strong flow, one colony stretched onto 12 frames with brood. Had to put it into 3 boxes.. Also started qcells, will see after this is there will still be intention. If so, I will split it lightly ( 2bf+2ff+q)..

 

[oGri]

Checked in on a shook swarm colony, completed last week and was a bit worried as was my first time and I found it all a bit too intrusive... However they have gone off with a boom, 1 week on and they have built comb like a swarm. Really pleased

 

[Ian123]

Checked in on a shook swarm colony, completed last week and was a bit worried as was my first time and I found it all a bit too intrusive... However they have gone off with a boom, 1 week on and they have built comb like a swarm. Really pleased

Why did you shook swarm them?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

was a bit worried as was my first time

Hopefully you'll learn and it will be your last.
Apart from trying to save a colony with EFB there is no possible reason or justification in conducting a shook swarm - whoever told you there is should be ashamed of themselves