Swarming isn't always about room, it's about reproduction.
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm
http://www.bushfarms.com/beesswarmcontrol.htm
An update
For those of you who read my last thread about the broken comb in my tbh, I thought I would share the latest on what's going on.
This hive was started from a swarm I caught on June 19th. Since then, they have built 18 bars of brood/stores. I added a couple of bars a few weeks ago and they've ignored them and worked on fully building out the rest of the bars. I was SURE they had enough room in there and the thought of them swarming had never crossed my mind.
This past Sunday (Aug. 8th), I received a phone call with an excited voice at the other end. Thank God no one died! It was just my better-half notifying me of the tbh swarming. T'was my partners first time ever seeing bees swarm and it was an amazing experience.
This is what I've been mulling over in my head since then:
The hive had a ton of bees in it, but it wasn't jam packed wall-to-wall. I feel that they had ample room. At the time, the hive had a screened bottom and the weather had been in the mid 80's and really humid. I'm wondering if they swarmed because it was so dreadfully hot in there. With that many bees and with the screened bottom, combined I think these two factors are the reason they swarmed. They just couldn't regulate the inside temp. Maybe they left to find a dwelling less drafty.
Could it be? :scratch:
I'm not bummed about the loss of the bees...or that fantastic egg-laying machine of a queen. I just want to understand.
This hive was started from a swarm I caught on June 19th. Since then, they have built 18 bars of brood/stores. I added a couple of bars a few weeks ago and they've ignored them and worked on fully building out the rest of the bars. I was SURE they had enough room in there and the thought of them swarming had never crossed my mind.
This past Sunday (Aug. 8th), I received a phone call with an excited voice at the other end. Thank God no one died! It was just my better-half notifying me of the tbh swarming. T'was my partners first time ever seeing bees swarm and it was an amazing experience.
This is what I've been mulling over in my head since then:
The hive had a ton of bees in it, but it wasn't jam packed wall-to-wall. I feel that they had ample room. At the time, the hive had a screened bottom and the weather had been in the mid 80's and really humid. I'm wondering if they swarmed because it was so dreadfully hot in there. With that many bees and with the screened bottom, combined I think these two factors are the reason they swarmed. They just couldn't regulate the inside temp. Maybe they left to find a dwelling less drafty.
Could it be? :scratch:
I'm not bummed about the loss of the bees...or that fantastic egg-laying machine of a queen. I just want to understand.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
You mean isn't?Swarming is always about room...
So, this was a reproductive swarm then. Thanks Michael. You always have such good information.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
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