I got a giant swarm it was way bigger than a basket ball. Its wont fit in one deap hive body can I put two to start or will it cause even more problems. Would they still draw out botton hive? Also think I can get honey off them this year?
how many hive bodies on giant swarm??
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I've used a double deep on one swarm this year. Like yours, way to big for a single. In exactly four weeks, they've drawn a ton of perfect white comb, and last week had tons of frames top to bottom with capped brood. They got supered early. I can't wait to see how big they get by the end of the year.
Yes and Yes. If you don't give them enough room they will abscond on you.
One thing I've found though is that the giant swarms are often combined swarms of more than one hive with multiple queens. If the swarm shows any signs of wanting to split, like a partial regrouping out side the hive today, go with it and set that group up in another hive. I would watch them very closely today.
Congratulations and good luck.
Don
One thing I've found though is that the giant swarms are often combined swarms of more than one hive with multiple queens. If the swarm shows any signs of wanting to split, like a partial regrouping out side the hive today, go with it and set that group up in another hive. I would watch them very closely today.
Congratulations and good luck.
Don
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I recently made a simulated swarm that needed two deeps, whereas I usually put them in one deep until all frames are drawn and filled.
This was a big four deep overwintered hive that was well populated with both young bees and foragers. It had a 2012 good queen I also needed to be able to get to for grafting this year. The hive got so big fast last year I never took the time to dig her out to get some daughters.
I moved the entire hive a few feet away and let all the foragers return to the original location where the established queen and two frames of open brood, along with new frames and a feeder with fortified 1:1 waited. The return was so populated I thought it was far too many bees for one deep, but I wanted to get them to at least start drawing the new frames in the bottom box before adding a second one.
After about a day and a half, I checked to see if they were taking up feed and drawing frames. They were, so I gave them another deep. I moved the feeder to the top and gave them a second one as you can see here. After a week almost all the frames are at least partially drawn and the volume of space seems good for now.
I've done this many times. Along wth the frame of brood, a big fat queen that is unable to fly keeps me from worying anymore they will abscond. Your situation is different with a queen that can fly. A frame of brood is always a good idea for inducing a swarm to stay in their new home.
You can always confine your queen for a day or two if abconding is a threat. Theres a lot of options for making it work.
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This was a big four deep overwintered hive that was well populated with both young bees and foragers. It had a 2012 good queen I also needed to be able to get to for grafting this year. The hive got so big fast last year I never took the time to dig her out to get some daughters.
I moved the entire hive a few feet away and let all the foragers return to the original location where the established queen and two frames of open brood, along with new frames and a feeder with fortified 1:1 waited. The return was so populated I thought it was far too many bees for one deep, but I wanted to get them to at least start drawing the new frames in the bottom box before adding a second one.
After about a day and a half, I checked to see if they were taking up feed and drawing frames. They were, so I gave them another deep. I moved the feeder to the top and gave them a second one as you can see here. After a week almost all the frames are at least partially drawn and the volume of space seems good for now.
I've done this many times. Along wth the frame of brood, a big fat queen that is unable to fly keeps me from worying anymore they will abscond. Your situation is different with a queen that can fly. A frame of brood is always a good idea for inducing a swarm to stay in their new home.
You can always confine your queen for a day or two if abconding is a threat. Theres a lot of options for making it work.
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:thumbsup: bullet holes.
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Amazon.com...vinyl stickers
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I actually live across the street from the Pierce County Sheriffs training range & Fire Dept.. And 1/2 mile from Joint Base Lewis/McChord training grounds
Just going along with the atmosphere around here. Aircraft, shooting and sirens. And buzzing bees of course!
Just going along with the atmosphere around here. Aircraft, shooting and sirens. And buzzing bees of course!
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