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Mid-summer swarms

6K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Cleo C. Hogan Jr 
#1 ·
Yeah or nay? I'm going to get a swarm right now (july 21), I'm going to feed them like crazy for a few weeks and see how much comb they can build. I may just combine at that point depending how they do.

Why are they swarming this late? No nectar flow here for the last few weeks. Are they swarming to get out of a bad mite load situation?
 
#2 ·
Well the old saying goes. If they swarm in july, let em fly...........but that was coined before overwintered nucs became popular. I say put them in a nuc, let them build you comb if they make it great, if they don't get big enough, combine with a weaker hive and pinch the less desirable of the queens.
 
#3 ·
I got a swarm on Thursday only to see it fly away this morning. It was pretty big. This is a weird weather year for us. I think you should definitely get them and let them build comb for you at a minimum. The old saying about letting them fly was coined hundreds of years ago when people worked bees in skeps. That was probably before sugar was widely available.
 
#11 ·
Leaving the swarm where you hive it for 24-36 hours also helps

I am with Mr Beeman, and Charlie on this one, plus, leave on site until at least dark of the first day.

Frame of unsealed brood, 2-4 frames of brood comb, (plus one frame of foundation to keep them from dropping comb) , leave on site for 24-36 hours, No feed until they have been moved. normally works for me. Haven't had one abscound in years.

cchoganjr
 
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