Ok, really new to bee keeping here. Build a top bar last week, made a nuc in the middle of week and now looking at scraps thinking "Yea enough here to make another Top Bar and another Nuc."
But about swarms, been watching bees for years. Had them invade the houses I was living in, had them perch under the decks of another house several times, chasing them away or wiping them out. Sorry but one apparently had Africanized genes they exploded as a pair of Blackhawks passed over at 300 feet just after my kids got on the school bus. When I went to wipe them out I was chased me over 120 yards, thank god for a bug jacket with a hood.
But with those many swarms and the ones I have seen in the fields while mowing, hunting, and such, I rarely see large basketball swarms. Most will fit inside a old quart size coffee can, maybe fill one and a half. The largest was that mean swarm and they would have filled an old gallon coffee can and had some left over.
First, are these swarms large enough to collect and have a chance to establish a hive in the middle of the summer and make it through the winter (SE of Houston in Beaumont area)?
Second, if I collect them in a Nuc (5 bar size) should I keep them in that or try to transfer them to a top bar?
Third, the top bar is 48 inch long, but has two dividers. If I move them into the top bar, is a 10 or 12 bar space within it ok, need more or less?
Fourth if I move them into half the top bar, can I establish another colony on the other side of the top bar.
Thanks in advance for all the advise, awesome forum here.
But about swarms, been watching bees for years. Had them invade the houses I was living in, had them perch under the decks of another house several times, chasing them away or wiping them out. Sorry but one apparently had Africanized genes they exploded as a pair of Blackhawks passed over at 300 feet just after my kids got on the school bus. When I went to wipe them out I was chased me over 120 yards, thank god for a bug jacket with a hood.
But with those many swarms and the ones I have seen in the fields while mowing, hunting, and such, I rarely see large basketball swarms. Most will fit inside a old quart size coffee can, maybe fill one and a half. The largest was that mean swarm and they would have filled an old gallon coffee can and had some left over.
First, are these swarms large enough to collect and have a chance to establish a hive in the middle of the summer and make it through the winter (SE of Houston in Beaumont area)?
Second, if I collect them in a Nuc (5 bar size) should I keep them in that or try to transfer them to a top bar?
Third, the top bar is 48 inch long, but has two dividers. If I move them into the top bar, is a 10 or 12 bar space within it ok, need more or less?
Fourth if I move them into half the top bar, can I establish another colony on the other side of the top bar.
Thanks in advance for all the advise, awesome forum here.