[Beeckmann]

I have two strong hives and it looks like they are both going to swarm. I tried everything. Checkerboarding, check. Plenty of room for necter, check. But, I went through looking for the queens yesterday and could not find them. I know they are there. Young brood and all, but I can't find them! Lots of swarm cells on the bottom of the frames. I destroyed all that I found, except for the ones I placed in the split.

I was going through the hives because I was making my first split. So, I took some swarm cells and eggs and brood from both hives and combined with stores until I had eight frames for a eight frame meduim. Then, I took a couple of frames of, hopefully, nurse bees (they were on capped and young brood), and shook them in.

I do have a couple of swarm traps out, but I was wondering if any of you have any advice about what else I can do to stop them?

I did notice that there seems to be a dearth of the younger brood in one hive, I didn't go as deep into the second hive. Is this a sign that the queen is getting ready to fly out with the swarm?

I feel like standing outside the entrances with a net and catching them when they go. :s

P.S. The flow is on here and they also seem to be filling the brood nest with necter.

 

[Beethinking]

Personally I'd leave them alone, let them swarm, catch it and happily increase my apiary or offer the bees to friends...

Cheers,
Matt

 

[clarkfarm]

Although anticipating the actual timing of a potential swarm is iffy, look for drones at the entrance of the hive and be alert on the first sunny day after a day or two of rainy weather. Its very beautiful actually when the swarm takes off. You can see where they cluster initially and maybe catch the swarm rather than depending on swarm traps. Catching a swarm from my first hive is how I got my second one. Although many beekeepers believe prevention is the way to go, I am so glad that I got to witness a swarm taking off and had the experience of catching a swarm from a tree. Good luck.

 

[ptwat]

What did the swarm look like as it left the hive? I am asking because this past Sunday, a beautiful day, I saw what was hundreds of bees flying around the front of the hive. It lasted at least 30 minutes and I thought it was either a bunch of new field bees taking orientation flights or a swarm happening. I did not hang around long enough see what happened.

 

[lisascenic]

Can you split this colony into two?

 

[ptwat]

I have already taken a split from it.

 

[lisascenic]

A very well respected beekeeper in our area does multiple splits (five is the number that comes to mind) of his colonies.

 

[kbfarms]

I will do 4-5 splits from a hive if it looks like its going to swarm no matter if you've already taken a couple of splits from it already. I figure if they are going to leave, I might as well take the hit on honey production and keep the bees.

 

[fish_stix]

Just for future reference; never cut queen cells! When they have cells they're going to swarm, period. When they do, if there are no cells left, and no eggs, you have doomed the hive to queenlessness. By far, the best procedure is to take the old queen and a few frames of brood, some honey, no cells, and move them to a new hive, leaving the cells with the old hive. The old hive will think the swarm has left and will continue on and raise the new queen. Works every time! In conjunction with this, give both of them some empty frames of drawn comb or foundation so they have room for brood.