Good luck to you! I am anticipating swarms as well. 
Swarm Season is upon us in Central PA
I have been weighing several of my hives on platform scales. From April 20 to April 23, my one hive lost 5 pounds and it has been gaining -- My thoughts are that my hive swarmed and all those girls left me for greener pastures.
I have several more hives in the same yard -- Today, I started looking into the stronger hives and sure enough, tons of swarm cells. I ended up creating 15 strong nucs. I am not sure why, but it seemed that alot of them had connected the swarm cells somehow to the frame below and when I pulled the frame out, it ripped swarm cells in half.
I am racing against the clock and have bait hives out there waiting as I am sure that some will swarm before I can get to them.
I have several more hives in the same yard -- Today, I started looking into the stronger hives and sure enough, tons of swarm cells. I ended up creating 15 strong nucs. I am not sure why, but it seemed that alot of them had connected the swarm cells somehow to the frame below and when I pulled the frame out, it ripped swarm cells in half.
I am racing against the clock and have bait hives out there waiting as I am sure that some will swarm before I can get to them.
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Are you sure? I'm in Central Ohio and it seems bees in our area (North/South) swarm right around Memorial day. I cant think your very much further South, but than again, this spring has been like a summer with everything different nature wise.
Maybe your bees are increasing population and eating more honey than they are bringing in until the big flows come along?
Maybe your bees are increasing population and eating more honey than they are bringing in until the big flows come along?
I keep hoping that the bees on the platform scale didn't swarm. Maybe they converted all that nectar into honey, that's what I'm hoping.
However I have opened my hives on both sides of the platform scales -- Yep, major amounts of swarm cells.
I have strong hives that I have not yet gotten into and with the swarm cells being capped, it is just a matter of days, until they swarm.
However I have opened my hives on both sides of the platform scales -- Yep, major amounts of swarm cells.
I have strong hives that I have not yet gotten into and with the swarm cells being capped, it is just a matter of days, until they swarm.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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