Swarm percentage?

[Mbeck]

What percentage of your hives throw a swarm despite your efforts to control it?

I would guess that there is a certain amount that may swarm and go undetected between visits.

What's your best guess out of 100?

[hpm08161947]

1 at the most....

[wdcrkapry205]

I have been wanting to ask the same question, although I would want to know what percent would swarm if allowed to. This would take the issue back to the genetics of the bee rather than the diligence of the beekeeper. My answer would be over 80%. 15 years ago I would have said 50%.

[jim lyon]

Somewhere between 1 and 5 (Herb is a better beekeeper than me). Genetics be damned with an older queen, a full hive and a heavy flow.

[wdcrkapry205]

Mr. Lyon, would you please explain the last sentence of your post? You seem to be saying only 5 out of 100 hives, on average, start swarm cells if left alone.

[jim lyon]

Actually the op states "despite your best efforts to control it"

[Mbeck]

I'm sure that everyone's best effort to control swarming has different rates of success.

I'm afraid that now that you guys stepped up with very low numbers no commercial is going to follow up your post with " I just can't keep them out of the trees" post.

I'm a little torn because while I really don't want to wish ill (bad Karma), I hope that Beekeepers around here are not as diligent. I just built a bunch of new equipment and put some off it out to "weather". I'd like to count my chicken before they hatch.

[hpm08161947]

Somewhere between 1 and 5 (Herb is a better beekeeper than me). Genetics be damned with an older queen, a full hive and a heavy flow.

I should have said... 1 that I know about. IE... I picked up a swarm this morning from across the creek that had to be from my bees... but I have not idea which hive swarmed.

Plus I do a lot of pull the old queen and start a split or nuc and requeen with a new one this time of year... I do it everyday this time of year, really kicks the swarm out of them..... still doesn't stop them 100%.

[Mbeck]

Do you requeen with a cel or mated queen?

With a large population of bees in a hive if that particular hive swarmed do you think its likely that you wouldn't remember it as a strong hive and on your next inspection just think it was one of your less productive/weaker hives?

[Skinner Apiaries]

hmm requeening during the beginning to middle of the flow, so THATS why you're making 40 lb averages. Hot ****. Glad I got on beesource today!

[hpm08161947]

Do you requeen with a cel or mated queen?

Both.

If you asked me which was my strongest yard... I could tell you, but if you asked about an individual hive... I could not. Maybe that is something I need work on. If I see them thick with bees.. I make a split... I don't split during dearths...

[The Honey Householder]

A lot depends on the weather. Two weeks of rain just before the main flow, bad news. 800+ hives one guy, just can't get all the cells. Normal year maybe 1%

[Roland]

The number of SUCCESSFULL swarms? Less that the detection threshold, but we are very intensive. We clip queens and mark the roof. Usually the data matches reality. We do have a hobbyist in the neighborhood of home that ussually donates a nice marked queen in a swarm every year.

Crazy Roland

[Ian]

What percentage of your hives throw a swarm despite your efforts to control it?

I would guess that there is a certain amount that may swarm and go undetected between visits.

What's your best guess out of 100?

I always figure at least 20% of my hives swarm or change queens regardless of my intervention.
But if I did not do anything to control swarming I would be seeing 50-80% hit the trees.
Keeping bees is just a matter of managing the averages. You dont want to kill off swarming because you still want to make honey. You have to walk that fine line of too strong and too weak to a point that you keep your sanity.LOL

[Roland]

.....keep your sanity.


Too late.

Crazy Roland

[Mbeck]

Anyone have percentages south of North Carolina?