First Winter- What to expect? Swarm prevention?

[samak]

This if my first winter with bees so I don't really know what to expect. If the bees survive the winter, should I be prepared to take measures for swarm prevention early on? What exactly do you do as a means for swarm prevention? What time of year is best for such means? Would I need to split my hives in two and introduce new queens? The queens I have were born in April 2006, so they are 9 months old now.

[Michael Bush]

>If the bees survive the winter, should I be prepared to take measures for swarm prevention early on?

Yes.

> What exactly do you do as a means for swarm prevention?

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesexperiment.htm

> What time of year is best for such means?

Checkerboarding would be done about the time you get Maples blooming. Opening the brood nest would be later when there are enough bees to keep the brood nest warm with an empty space in it. Probably about the time of the first fruit tree bloom (redbuds, wild plums etc.)

> Would I need to split my hives in two and introduce new queens?

Not necessarily. If you want more hives you COULD. But you probably won't get much of a crop of you do. Better to wait until just before the flow and do a cut down split if you want more bees AND honey.

http://www.bushfarms.com/beessplits.htm

> The queens I have were born in April 2006, so they are 9 months old now.

Most of mine are two years or more old. But the research says younger queens are less likely to swarm. My experience is a hive with an open brood nest won't swarm, no matter how old the queen is.

[sierrabees]

At this time of year I mostly worrey about trying to keep my bees in a condition where I WILL have to worry about swarming. I love to see a hive early in the spring that needs swarm attention because that is the one that will make me a good crop. Just be alert once you see the dandalions bloom, make sure they have room in the brood chamber, and treat each hive as an individual with it's own individual needs. There are dozens of swarm preventions techniques available but I think it is good to try to tailor the technique to your particular goals and the particular situation rather than lock in one a single method. One size does NOT fit all.

I come from a generation that raised all their kids following Dr Spock's rules, and it worked for some but what a mess we made out of the ones it didn't work for. Gotta make yourself as flexable as possable without turning into a butterfly.

Now you have heard from MB, the man of few words, and sierrabees, the man of too many words.

[Brent Bean]

This is a good time to year to Read and Read, there is a lot of good books on beekeeping increasing your knowledge by studying form the masters will save you a lot of painful lessons learned. And will increase your success rate and enjoyment of beekeeping. ;)

[Finman]

.
Here is good advices. http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/Swarm_Prev_Control_PM.pdf

The best way to prevent swarming is to keep a stock which is slow to sawrm. That is result of selection by human.

If you want that you bees swarm, take daughter queens from swarming hive. That is biggest mistake what beekeepers normally do.

If you want about 10 pieces good queens, change larvae from good hive into swarm queen cells.

[Finman]

The best way to prevent swarming is NOT FEED SYRUP IN SUMMER.
LET THEM GET THEIR OWN FOOD FROM FIELDS.

To beginners a difficult and usual point is that hive is small, and when bees get plenty nectar, it will be full during a week and it swarms.

To avoid this it good to keep a box under brood area that good nectar flow does not make surprise in this case. Free combs or cells must be all the time enough to enlarge and store nectar.

If room is too much hive will be too cold. That is why you may enlarge with bottom deep.

Important is too to note that if hive is going to swarm it does not draw foundations. That is a warning if nectar is coming in.

.

[Jim Fischer]

I love all these declarative statements from folks
who just know that they are "right" about
swarming.

Swarming is the basic reproductive action of bees.
One can spay/neuter a pet, so most people want
an equivalent for bees. There just is no such thing.

Despite the advances in knowledge gained, there is still:
</font> No fool-proof way to predict swarming</font> No fool-proof way to stop a hive bent on swarming</font>
The best the beekeeper can do is to learn how
to detect the signs of swarming, and split hives
that appear to be determined to swarm.

To make any other claim is to soon be proven
wrong by the bees, who tend to have their own
opinions about the matter.

Come on guys, be honest - no matter what set
of practices are followed, one still has hives
that swarm if one is not quick to split them,
and one still has hives that swarm for no
apparent reason whatsoever.

[sierrabees]

&lt;and one still has hives that swarm for no
apparent reason whatsoever.&gt;

They swarm because they can. No need to search for a reason.

[Mike Gillmore]

&gt; No fool-proof way to predict swarming
&gt; No fool-proof way to stop a hive bent on
swarming

I must have missed the section where someone outlined a "fool-proof" way to "stop"swarming.

Samak, who is just starting out and looking for guidance, asked for suggestions on what can be done to try to "prevent" swarming.

I read several good responses and suggestions for Samak to read over and analyze.

What part of your critique has helped this person better prepare for spring swarming?

[ December 20, 2006, 07:38 AM: Message edited by: Mike Gillmore ]

[ScadsOBees]

&gt;&gt;The best the beekeeper can do is to learn how
to detect the signs of swarming, and split hives
that appear to be determined to swarm.

I thought the BEST a beek could do was to learn how to manage the hives so that the swarming impulse is minimized, since there are things that can be done (timely supering, opening brood nest, disrupting broodnest, checkerboarding, not all concepts work for all...and may not have the hard documentation to prove them). Foolproof? No but certainly worth doing.

The SECOND best a beek could do is to detect and split if the best way wasn't enough. Foolproof? No, a split can still swarm if determined enough. But worth doing.

The third best is be a good swarm catcher. Foolproof? No, some swarms just keep going.

The fourth best is to make sure the hives don't make it through the winter, since the splits and packages in the spring aren't near so likely to swarm smile.gif Foolproof? Yes, if you don't get a package or a split in the spring since a dead hive CAN'T swarm. A package or split can, however, if they aren't managed well or are swarmy.

In short, the only foolproof way to keep a hive from swarming is to kill it, and I don't recommend that way. Short of that, it is best to read about the different techniques for management, figure out what works best for you, and since only practice makes perfect also make sure that you can recognize when they are ready. Nothing teaches like experience.

I'm going to be trying checkerboarding and keeping the broodnest open, and see if that works for me. Maybe try 2-queen hives since that sounds interesting to try and has been reported to reduce swarming, even though many say it isn't worth it. And reading all about the other ways...

-rick

[Finman]

.
Hi guys. you have not discussed what is use for clip queens wing. It is marvellous aid. Swarm goes but it returns. And you need not to climp up to tree tops.

Wing clipping raises feelings!

I have nursed bees long but I read from Maarec text good point: " Biggest hives swarms first".

I had 10 years Carniolan bees. They did not know anything about foolproof rules. They just swarmed and nothing could turn they mind.