My September Swarm - top this

[okiequeenbee]

Here are a couple of pictures of the 12+ Queens SWARM that I hived the other day. This swarm was huge, hanging from the tree, a pile on the ground and some hanging onto a piece of farm equipment. I found the Queens because they were being balled by bees, so I saved them. Put the majority of the bees in a 3 med super hive, and made 3 nucs and 1 observation hive out of the rest. Still have 6 queens caged. Any explanations on why so many queens and where they came from?

http://s497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/okiequeenbee/th_IMG_0274.jpg

http://s497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/okiequeenbee/th_IMG_0280.jpg

Well, I figured out how to post the pictures - now, how to make them bigger.....

[nursebee]

http://i497.photobucket.com/albums/rr332/okiequeenbee/IMG_0274.jpg

click on the IMG part on photobucket and post that here

[BjornBee]

Not saying they are....but.....are not AHB known to swarm with excessive numbers of queens?

[Eaglerock]

Check to see if they are laying queens. I have heard of more than one queen in a hive, all I can come up with is that maybe they never swarmed when the queens were ready to hatch from the queen cells. Nevertheless, guess you will be feeding the heck out of them. Hope you have drawn frames to use.

[Troy]

Yeah, I bet some of those queens are virgin queens.

[johnnybigfish]

Did you catch them?
your friend,
john

[okiequeenbee]

Yes we got them all hived. One large hive, three nucs and 1 observation hive. And 7 queens in a cage. They definately weren't AHB, the only stings were from digging the queens out of the balls. Some of the queens appeared to be virgins, but others looked to be developed. I guess I will find out next spring. And yes, they will have to be fed as the bees here aren't working. Seems they are ready for a "change" - the welfare system!:eek:

[Parke County Queen]

AWESOME! That is one huge swarm.