Hi,

May I ask why you are removing them? Swarm control? Requeening? Ect?

Clay

 

swarm control.

 

The trouble with this is that it frustrates the bees rather than working with them. Why are they making swarm cells; are they short of space, do they need requeening, or are they a healthy colony which is trying to reproduce? You might be better to split them or make an artificial swarm; if you don't want the extra colony, then recombine after the swarm season, and if you kill the old queen at that stage you'll have requeened and prevented swarming all in one go.

------------------
Regards,

Robert Brenchley

RSBrenchley@aol.com
Birmingham UK

 

Hello all,

From what I have read here. I can tell, the old timers around here might not be doing the right thing by removing the swarm cells. So here is what I have. At the first of April I put a 2nd deep brood box on one of my hives. It has only drawn out 3 frams so far, but in the lower box I've found swarm cells. The hive is very strong, and growing by the day. So if someone could help me with this topic I would apreciate it. I have removed the cells already, but would like to know for the next time.

Thanks

Billy Bob

[This message has been edited by BILLY BOB (edited April 20, 2002).]

 

Hi,

Check and see if you have a queen still and get back to me. It may be supercedure.

Clay

 

Hi,

Check and see if you have a queen still and get back to me. It may be supercedure. Or it may swarm soon. Cause due to congestion due to available combs.

Clay

 

Hi Clay,

I've never been good at finding the queen, but as of last week I could find eggs and larva of all stages. The new foundation I put in 4 weeks ago is being drawn out nicely. On one the queen had passed by and layed eggs in the unfinished drawn cone. Workers have finished drawing it out. I will reinspect the hive this saturday and try to find the queen. What should I be looking for when I open the hive back up?

Billy Bob

 

Hi,

The queen. And/ or queen cells or eggs.


Clay

 

Hi Clay,

Went through the hive today. I didn't find the queen, not a suprise! I did find eggs larva, and capped brood. Queen cells being drawn out also...about 2 or 3 days from being capped, some sooner.

On April 1st I put a 2nd brood box with foundation on top. Today I found the top box about 75% full of honey.(look back on this topic to one week ago) The bottom is being filled with honey also about 40%. I can see that the queen is starting to have a hard time finding empty cells to lay eggs in. I have a super to put on, but I'd like to see what you have to say first.

Last year this hive was near its death in August. I put alot of time bringing it back from the brink (without chemicals). This year I would like to make this hive into a real sucess story.

The queen is only a year old, I was going to have her replaced in the fall. Let me know what I can do. I don't want them to swarm. If I have to split it I will, but I'd rather have a very larg hive.

Thanks

Billy Bob

[This message has been edited by BILLY BOB (edited April 27, 2002).]

[This message has been edited by BILLY BOB (edited April 27, 2002).]

 

Hi,

You say the second is about 75% plugged with honey. You are getting honey bound. This condition leads to swarming. If you have foundations in the top box still, add one in the center of the bottom and the bees will draw it out and the queen will take to it quickly. Then add another to the center of the top box. This should help to unbind the colony. Repeat until all combs are drawn. Let me know if all combs are already drawn.

Clay

 

Clay,

I was thinking of droping some undrawn/unfilled frames into the bottom box. I did put a super on, but after was thinking that it wasn't going to help anything in the bottom.

What about the new swarm cells? Should I remove them?

Billy Bob

 

Hi,

>I did put a super on,

Too late if you have cells. I doubt they will do much with it now.

About the cells. I can think of one quick manipulation that isn't to complex. ASAP (don't delay)or the colony will swarm, but make sure there is a queen and they haven't swarmed already, cut the cells missing none. Shake the bees off the combs if you can't see them well. Add the foundation into the brood nest like I said in the last post. Now place a queen excluder under the bottom box to trap the queen in. Do this for 2 weeks but no more. If there are no more cells being produced then you should be safe. But keep opening up the brood nest with new combs and / or foundation so you don't go back into the same situation again. You could even try to work the bees up into a third brood chamber to really open up and run really large brood chamber colonies. Do you subscribe to ABJ and Bee culture?

Clay

 

Clay,

I have to tell ya. About the time you were posting this I was at my hive moveing frams around. I don't guess I'm very good at looking at the swarm cells or just missed one the other day, cause when I left I found the swarm about 200 yrds on the other side of the field.

Took a nuc box with frames, pushed them into it, then in front of it. Watched them walk right in.

One thing to note: 1. I couldn't tell the hive had swarmed, it was a big hive, and no other hives around. 2. They lit on a fence post of a horse corral. Apparently the yearling stud that was in the corral had went over to investigate....well to make a long story short. The horse will live, I don't think he was stung. But the bees were the most stired up hanging swarm I've ever delt with.

Thanks for the info. One more question, does the hive swarm before, or after the new queen emerges from her cell? I don't want another queen to emerge and the hive swarm again.

I subscribe to abj.

Billy Bob

[This message has been edited by BILLY BOB (edited April 29, 2002).]

 

One more question, does the hive swarm before, or after the new queen emerges from her cell? I don't want another queen to emerge and the hive swarm again.

reply:

The hive swarms before the virgin emerges. So I hope you didn't cut the cells yet. As you could end up queenless. This is why I asked you all those questions so I could know exactly what was going on. If you cut them add a frame of brood from another colony(I hope you have one). This is one reason I don't cut cells often.

ABJ, good! I will post an article that you should read (will post tomorrow) as it will give you insight to the things that lead up to swarming.

Clay

 

Hey Clay,

Naw, I didn't cut any of the cells out (you didn't tell me too). Pop always said "Boy when you're walking blind, don't stray away from the one that's leading ya through the briar patch." Thanks for helping me through this, I was lucky to find/stumble upon the swarm...gotem' sitting on the kitchen table up here at the fire station tonight, I'll run'em to the house at first light. This hive has pulled 10 deep frames and just about filled top and bottom box with honey prob. around 100# in just 3 weeks (alot faster than I thought they would). I'll check them again this weekend to make sure they haven't filled the frames that I just put in the bottom for the new queen. Be looking for your post on the abj, tomorrow.

In your debt

Billy Bob



[This message has been edited by BILLY BOB (edited April 29, 2002).]

 

Hi Billy Bob,

Ok I found it. In the February 2002 issue read the article titled, APPLY SURVIVAL TRAITS OF HONEY BEES FOR SWARM PREVENTION AND INCREASED HONEY PRODUCTION, on page 123. This is a two part article so read the second one too in the next issue. Key in characteristics 3 and 4.

Clay