What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Do224]

Checked a swarm that arrived in my bait hive on 9th July (and was put in a proper hive next day). Four frames of capped brood and one of open brood. Found and marked a pretty dark coloured queen. Bees seem friendly which was a nice surprise given they look like AMM

 

[Nannysbees]

Caught a swarm in my apiary this evening. 2m away from the hives in a bay hedge. One of the hives has been all over the shop this year, lost a bought queen, put on a test frame and let them get on with it. The queen cells looked weak, I didn't think they would be viable, hence the swarm, found and marked a lovely large queen, how wrong I was. Quick inspection of the colony I think she came from, very calm no eggs at present but I think they may have a queen somewhere in there. Will reunite the swarm further down the line as I don't want 6 hives!!!!! Think we may have a tidy harvest, they've really picked up the pace as a few weeks ago the supers were dry!!

 

[OutStanden]

Hive swarmed yesterday. Caught my Queen and gave her to a friends Hive.

3 Capped Swarm cells. Which wasn't many? Reduced them down to 1. This is roughly day 9 for the Queen cell

Is it too late in the year for the Queen to get out, mate and get through the Winter?

 

[Wilco]

Checked a swarm that arrived in my bait hive on 9th July (and was put in a proper hive next day). Four frames of capped brood and one of open brood. Found and marked a pretty dark coloured queen. Bees seem friendly which was a nice surprise given they look like AMM

View attachment 40846

Could be Carpathian if you compare the queen's markings to the one on the BMH website, or even have some Carniolan or something else in her. Dark does not automatically mean AMM.

 

[Penninetrader]

This is the feast or famine year that is for sure

 

[Penninetrader]

Checked a swarm that arrived in my bait hive on 9th July (and was put in a proper hive next day). Four frames of capped brood and one of open brood. Found and marked a pretty dark coloured queen. Bees seem friendly which was a nice surprise given they look like AMM

View attachment 40846

Would be delighted if an AMM swarm came my way, she is a very dark queen. Should be interesting to see how her progeny via queen cells work out this coming year

 

[OutStanden]

Would be delighted if an AMM swarm came my way, she is a very dark queen. Should be interesting to see how her progeny via queen cells work out this coming year

I picked up an AMM swarm that landed in my back garden end of June. Really feisty, Don't give up the chase either.

 

[gregior]

Had to take 30 frames of cut comb off so I could get the empty frames back on. Everything is full to the brim and bees are struggling to offload.

 

[Do224]

Had to take 30 frames of cut comb off so I could get the empty frames back on. Everything is full to the brim and bees are struggling to offload.View attachment 40856

What do you think they’re foraging?

 

[gregior]

What do you think they’re foraging?

80% balsam the other 20% a mix of thistle,rosebay and bramble.

 

[madasafish]

Just curious why do you leave so many supers on, I am guessing that some have capped honey

I run big colonies: they need lots of space: three ish supers full of honey - but usually uncapped - and two for nectar..
Fewer supers = swarming.

 

[Do224]

I run big colonies: they need lots of space: three ish supers full of honey - but usually uncapped - and two for nectar..
Fewer supers = swarming.

What’s your tactic for avoiding part full supers at the end of the season? I’m wondering what’s best to do with mine

 

[Penninetrader]

I run big colonies: they need lots of space: three ish supers full of honey - but usually uncapped - and two for nectar..
Fewer supers = swarming.

Fair enough

 

[Penninetrader]

I picked up an AMM swarm that landed in my back garden end of June. Really feisty, Don't give up the chase either.

Helped a young chap earlier this year with his hive that was queenless, jeepers they were nasty and followed us some distance, One was so determined it managed to sting my wrist through gloves and 3 layer suit...there must have been a sweet spot and it found it. The bees came from Yorkshire and clearly were not happy in Lancashire

 

[ericbeaumont]

3 Capped Swarm cells. Which wasn't many

3 or fewer usually suggests supersedure, though during this part of the season bees will often swarm on them. Your friend may also find that they supersede the given queen.

too late in the year for the Queen to get out, mate and get through the Winter?

Plenty of time yet.

http://www.dave-cushman.net/bee/supersedurecells.html

 

[madasafish]

What’s your tactic for avoiding part full supers at the end of the season? I’m wondering what’s best to do with mine

I strip out the heavy frames into one super..
But having extracted three times this year already, I have now a maximum of three supers on most colonies.

 

[Ely]

The flow seems to be ending around here. I wonder if I can remove the supers this early without them wanting to swarm when the extra space is removed. They are on single deeps. The harvest seems to be getting earlier each year!

 

[Do224]

I strip out the heavy frames into one super..
But having extracted three times this year already, I have now a maximum of three supers on most colonies.

What do you do with the part full frames?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Helped a young chap earlier this year with his hive that was queenless, jeepers they were nasty and followed us some distance, One was so determined it managed to sting my wrist through gloves and 3 layer suit...there must have been a sweet spot and it found it. The bees came from Yorkshire and clearly were not happy in Lancashire

It's the colour of the roses innit? Mind you I like the ones with nutty bits in them.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What do you do with the part full frames?

If they are decent I put them in my dryer to reduce the water. If they aren’t they get put back under the bees for a week.