what to do after bees swarm

[beeone]

Hello Everyone,
I have just come back from 2 week hols to find bees swarmed sunday.they were on brood and half, I put a super on the day i left which is now almost full not capped. the brood and half are crammed full of stores as i look down inside.dont know how much brood as the 2 are joined together with brace combe.I'm unsure if i should inspect incase i damage any queen cells.
I didn't inspect before hols as weather still cool and advice on forum was to leave inspection until warmer weather.to late now it seems.
what do you think would be my best next move.
all and any advice eagerly awaited
hope this makes sense. Thank you
My hive is in north Hampshire

 

[enrico]

OK, what I would do is this, inspect the hive, find a couple of nice big queen cells on one frame if possible, remove all others in the hive, put it all back together and wait and see.

 

[enrico]

By the way, how do you know they have swarmed??

 

[winmag270]

By the way, how do you know they have swarmed??

Ah, I wondered if you were going to ask that......

 

[oliver90owner]

It happens. There was loads of warm weather and it was not our fault you did not take advantage of it to check your hive!

Lots been caught out with early swarms - congested brood boxes being the cause of quite a few, I would think. Perhaps had you seen the brood and a half was congested a fortnight ago you should have considered two supers and maybe no Q/E.

However, your priority is now to prevent cast swarms and/or take a split to reduce the risk of an unmated queen this earlly in the season and to get to the better position of two colonies rather than one.

I suggest you wait until Friday or Saturday (at a push, as you don't know when exactly the first cell was capped) when the cells should be ripe, and sort them out then. Watching the weather forecast as well, of course.

Regards, RAB

 

[beeone]

my neighbour took a photo of the swarm on the hedge about 8ft from the hive

 

[Dishmop]

what to do after bees swarm

Do a Basil Fawlty and beat your car with a branch.....

 

[justme]

my neighbour took a photo of the swarm on the hedge about 8ft from the hive

If you're going away again at (lets be diplomatic here) a time when bees may swarm, teach your neighbour how to catch/hive them for you. give him/her a tenner sure they'll be happy.