Who's a clever beekeeper then?

[Cazza]

Lots of talk about catching swarms e.t.c.
Made me wonder how many beeks have actually managed to use swarm controls with 100% success and have NOT had any swarms?
If you are in this happy state, how many hives do you manage?

I for one, have not stopped two hives from doing their thing, caught one and lost one.

Cazza

 

[AnotherNewBee]

Ignore me. I was being an *****.

 

[Bates]

All was good till this week, just had a queen bank and 1 colony in an apiary swarm tuesday. Although I had not long gone through my queen bank and shook every frame to destroy cells as well as remove a load of brood. Cant win ay. Other one was a missed cell sadly.

 

[Pete D]

Had 9, done 4 AS and 1 split. Picked up a housed 2 swarms from 5 miles away that I have kept, passed 3 others on , again from further afield (5 - 10 miles)
So far I believe I havent had one of mine swarm, 7 day check on 2 today and another 2 tomorrow which at the last check had no signs that I could read as swarming imminent. Been driving by my out apiaries on way to and from work and not seen anything and neither have the farm workers or allotment holders. So will be on here tomorrow confessing at least 4 swarms now I have said that !
I have another beekeeper hives at the bottom of my field (5) that he had to move in a hurry due to problems with neighbours at his out apiary (bee problems I would suggest, not neighbours) who is on holiday now (1st of 2 weeks) who assured me he had done all his checks and they wouldnt swarm etc and that I didnt need to look at them.
They are 100 meteres from my hives and had 2 very small swarms hanging on a bush within 10ft of them on Tuesday that my daughter spotted and phoned me about whilst she went to feed the ducks. Time I got home both had gone.

Here's a thought, would you look in these hives or just leave them as directed. When he gets back he will move them to a new apiary site (when he has secured one) I have them for a month tops apparently, which is no problem.

Pete D

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

(Here's a thought, would you look in these hives or just leave them as directed. When he gets back he will move them to a new apiary site (when he has secured one) I have them for a month tops apparently, which is no problem.)

I would take a look at them, I'm sure he would be grateful if they where still there when he gets back...

 

[DorsetB]

Guilty as charged. I clip all my queens in their second year, and while I was out collecting a swarm from a stable last week, I came home to find a buzzing bush in my garden. By the time I had got my suit on and gone back to investigate, they had flown back to the hive and were sitting on the front of the hive again.

The trick in my case is to catch the clipped queen walking along the ground with a dozen or so bees and get to her before the chickens do.

 

[rae]

The weather has got us this year. If it is raining at the w/e, then no inspections. No inspections during the week as work gets in the way.

We lost one swarm at Easter, and another (Which we recovered) last week. 6 hives have done AS and are not a problem.