What did you do in the Apiary today?

[pargyle]

Kirsten Trayor -- Reading a Hive from the National Honey Show. Her take on shook swarm.
Start at timeline around 45:18

I have a slight problem with the idea that a shook swarm is evil on this forum. Just the mention of the phrase can garner some pretty strong words.

Not evil .. just a completely unnecessary action which solves nothing much in the normal run of beekeeping. It's an idea that has been handed down from Doolittle (there's a clue in the name) in the 1880's as a method of swarm control - but as I understand it, the queen was then caged for a period to prevent further swarm cells. Sadly, like many ideas in beekeeping it has, mistakenly, become an accepted remedy for just about everything !

The reality is that anything that you suggest requires a shook swarm has a better remedy that is less disruptive or destructive to the bees. The oft quoted phrase 'the colony is invigorated by a shook swarm' - of course they go off like a train - they don't have much option do they ? Do the bees appreciated the disturbance ? I very much doubt it.

Perhaps it is decried so much on here is becasuse there are (and have been in the past) a lot of thinking beekeepers on here who recognise that some of these antiquated ideas are not great and should be left in the history books.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Put out 2 bait hives with two older brood frames in each and a few drops of the good stuff!

 

[SWHives]

Added 3rd super to two colonies, 2nd to one. Hives smell of hawthorn.

 

[Newbeeneil]

but if you are using the brood to boost other colonies you are just dumping the mites elsewhere
As I said, it the domain of the non thinking beekeeper

no it isn't - shook swarming has got nothing to do with avoiding swarming - and it's not what it's used for in the UK

If you think it's good, you definitely have a problem


we'll have to beg to differ there.

 

[drex]

After reading here that supers are being filled and adding another super I thought I'd have a quick peep, the super we put in to two of the hives after empty but the second brood is absolutely chocca with nectar, bursting with bees, concerned they won't take it up and the queen will be struggling for room, took some open nectar brood frames out and put in foundation , donated to another hive. But will they eventually take it up or will we have to keep donating

Bees put stores above the brood. In order to avoid this at this time of the season, I make sure that brood is directly under the QX. They then automatically put the nectar into the supers. Depending on your situation you could always reverse brood boxes.

 

[SWHives]

Bees put stores above the brood. In order to avoid this at this time of the season, I make sure that brood is directly under the QX. They then automatically put the nectar into the supers. Depending on your situation you could always reverse brood boxes.

Would this work on double brood? My bees have 2-3 nectar frames in the upper BB. If I swap them will they move nectar from now bottom BB to the supers?

 

[Nannysbees]

they'll move it up there when they see fit, and not before

Thank you

 

[gwt_uk]

Inspected all but 2 of my colonies (the other 2 hopefully have newly hatched queens out getting mated!). Added additional supers to 2 and reduced QCs in two that were split last week. The nectar is pouring in to some colonies very rapidly.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Im out in the garden and for the 5 night running the hives are humming - I checked one recently transferred nuc from 4 days ago(today)and the super I added at the same time has 4/5 central frames being capped so I moved them from the centre and added another super I’ll be demarreing them sometime this next week.

 

[Garry R]

Im out in the garden and for the 5 night running the hives are humming - I checked one recently transferred nuc from 4 days ago(today)and the super I added at the same time has 4/5 central frames being capped so I moved them from the centre and added another super I’ll be demarreing them sometime this next week.

When you say you took the central frames in the first super being capped and moved them was that to the outer edges of the box and the outer ones to the centre to avoid a chimney effect and then put your second super on. Just to clarify. Thanks.

 

[Do224]

Im out in the garden and for the 5 night running the hives are humming - I checked one recently transferred nuc from 4 days ago(today)and the super I added at the same time has 4/5 central frames being capped so I moved them from the centre and added another super I’ll be demarreing them sometime this next week.

That’s nuts. A couple of my black bee hives haven’t even made it into their first super yet. Should I be thinking about requeening them or is that fairly normal for darker bees?

Both have 2023 queens

 

[Erichalfbee]

That’s nuts. A couple of my black bee hives haven’t even made it into their first super yet. Should I be thinking about requeening them or is that fairly normal for darker bees?

Both have 2023 queens

What's the forage like?

 

[Curly green finger's]

When you say you took the central frames in the first super being capped and moved them was that to the outer edges of the box and the outer ones to the centre to avoid a chimney effect and then put your second super on. Just to clarify. Thanks.

Yes Garry

 

[Curly green finger's]

That’s nuts. A couple of my black bee hives haven’t even made it into their first super yet. Should I be thinking about requeening them or is that fairly normal for darker bees?

Both have 2023 queens

Location these colony’s are in the suburbs of a city - colony’s were moved from the hills.

 

[Do224]

What's the forage like?

The hive next to them (look more like buckfasts) is booming so I’d say very good. Edge of a large village. Lots of hedgerows flowering. Dandelions galore until the last few days. Field of OSR just over a mile away

 

[E&MBees]

That’s nuts. A couple of my black bee hives haven’t even made it into their first super yet. Should I be thinking about requeening them or is that fairly normal for darker bees?

Both have 2023 queens

I have a black 2022 queen on four supers and 18 frames of brood. I’m having to work hard to keep up with her.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I have a black 2022 queen on four supers and 18 frames of brood. I’m having to work hard to keep up with her.

Some of my queens which are sisters are in single nucs and some are being demarred this week.
The single nucs will catch up just now

 

[Erichalfbee]

Location these colony’s are in the suburbs of a city - colony’s were moved from the hills.

Are these swarms you got?
Any disease?
Replace the queens?

I’d check for disease and if there was none I would replace the queens.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Are these swarms you got?
Any disease?
Replace the queens?

I’d check for disease and if there was none I would replace the queens.

Nope relocated colony’s from the clee
All are reared queens

 

[Erichalfbee]

Nope relocated colony’s from the clee
All are reared queens

Sorry this is to

The hive next to them (look more like buckfasts) is booming so I’d say very good. Edge of a large village. Lots of hedgerows flowering. Dandelions galore until the last few days. Field of OSR just over a mile away