Hi, new beekeeper this year. I got a call from a nice lady in a near by town. She told me she got my number after searching for a beekeeper. I belong to the Northern Nevada Beekeepers Association. Guess they had my name and being the closest I got the call. Okay, she had a swarm of bees in her back yard. The weather was cold 30s and 40s, and it was late afternoon. My wife and I went over with a cardboard box, tree shears, (as they were on a branch not 2 foot from the ground ) gloves, etc.. It was too easy. Cut the branch and took the bees home, installed them in a hive box and started feeding them sugar water.
Now, either the colony got too crowded, or the queen was failing. Right now they are doing fine, but do I need to go ahead and get a new queen, kill the old one, or just wait a while to see if the swarm queen is laying. They are on foundation, so it will take a while, plus the weather has turn really cold and stormy the last week.
It has been about a week and a half. They are taking about a quart of sugar water a day. I plan to check the hive this weekend weather permiting. being the first year for me and having 3 other hives, ( all package bees on new foundation all doing fine,)all the bees were are on new foundation. Not knowing if the queen is viable, do I order another queen ?
Everyone on this chat room has very good advice. Even though I belong to an orgination, sometimes the more experienced beekeepers assume us newbees should know these things. Really, the discussions on this board have given me many answers I had question to. Thanks so much
Snits
Now, either the colony got too crowded, or the queen was failing. Right now they are doing fine, but do I need to go ahead and get a new queen, kill the old one, or just wait a while to see if the swarm queen is laying. They are on foundation, so it will take a while, plus the weather has turn really cold and stormy the last week.
It has been about a week and a half. They are taking about a quart of sugar water a day. I plan to check the hive this weekend weather permiting. being the first year for me and having 3 other hives, ( all package bees on new foundation all doing fine,)all the bees were are on new foundation. Not knowing if the queen is viable, do I order another queen ?
Everyone on this chat room has very good advice. Even though I belong to an orgination, sometimes the more experienced beekeepers assume us newbees should know these things. Really, the discussions on this board have given me many answers I had question to. Thanks so much
Snits