Hiving swarms

[oregonsparkie]

I have received many calls for swarms. I went over and removed the swarms and put them into hives. I started with one deep and one super.

Should I just be using the deep box until they draw the comb out or is it ok to put both boxes on from the start.

[Michael Bush]

I don't worry much about it this time of year with a strong swarm. Earlier in the spring with cold nights and a small swarm, I think it's important to limit the space they have to control to get started well. But all in all, I try to keep a new swarm or a small group in a smaller area until they fill it.

[oregonsparkie]

Thanks MB,

I bought a bunch of used stuff including drawn frames. Not all hives have drawn comb but most do. I just dont see much flowering stuff in the area though.

[kookaburra]

On the same topic....

How fast should a swarm on foundation build up?

I hived what I would consider a smallish swarm about 4-5 weeks ago. It may have been an afterswarm, I don't know. They immediately drew out about 2.5 frames, they have maybe 2 frames of brood, it seems to me to be somewhat spotty, but they may just have started hatching and I don't have the experience yet. Yes there were a lot of mites, I am working on that.

Is this normal? I expected more...
This is my first swarm. so don't know exactly what to expect yet.

thanks, rick

[Michael Bush]

Obviously swarms differ in size and the nectar flow affects things too. But a small swarm can not grow as fast as a large one. Small ones I try to put in a as small a box as they fit. Like a two frame nuc for a handful of bees. A five frame nuc for a medium sized swarm and a 10 frame box for a large one. That way they don't have so much to heat.

It takes heat to hatch eggs. It takes heat to keep brood warm. It takes heat to make comb.

[athiker]

I don't think Michael believes in feeding bees to much degree, but I feed a swarm 1:1 syrup to help them start drawing comb. If they show signs of ignoring it and there is a strong nectar flow, I'll take the syrup off and let them do what they want.

[Michael Bush]

I have very mixed feelings about feeding. I've seen more damge from the robbing than advantage to the feeding on many occasions. But sometimes it really helps a struggling hive if robbing doesn't start.

If I have a lot of hives, strong and weak, I'd rather just steal some frames of honey from the strong hive and give them to the weak hive.

[topbee]

Weather I am hiving swarms or starting packages, this year has been quite educational. I started 15 packages the 29 April 2004 fed them and made sure the queens were laying and they are slow to come on. I stopped feeding because of robbing and they just stopped taking it. It was actually going sour before the jug was empty. I figured as long as they have full frames of sugar water they should be able to draw out the rest. I was hoping to get some honey off of these packages this year yet, but it is too soon to tell.

I have found that swarms generally will draw comb very quickly when put on foundation. All the swarms that I caught after receiving the packages are already near finishing their second deep. I know I will get honey from these ladies.

Don't think you will ever figure these girls out, because as soon as you do they will throw you a curve ball.

Tony