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First year Beek. Read everything in books and this forum...New hive of Italians installed very successfully in April 12. The queen went right to work and by day 31 had filled 80% of the first medium ( I use all mediums) and I moved two frames of brood up to box two and they immediately moved in. By day fifty three we were looking like a textbook growing hive, with brood, honey, pollen all where they were supposed to be. I've not been too intrusive, doing an exam every ten days or so. I have never seen swarm cells, although these active girls were building comb actively, including along frame bottoms, some of which I cleaned up, some I left. I'm a newbie, so could have misread it.
On day forty-nine I had added a second medium (three total), moving up two capped brood frames from box 2. The girls went right to it, but I thought I was now safe...they couldn't outgrow this much room and we are in the blackberry flow in Seattle....they should be feeling great....
So on Thursday, less,than a week after I added the last box, they swarmed. My neighbor found a huge swarm in his rhododendron. I called my mentor and he was able to recapture them...so they are now off to a new hive in his bee yard ..which is fine. A good result to what could have been much worse.
But, I feel mildly disappointed. I tried to do all the things we are supposed to do to avoid swarming...
Thoughts? Observations? Where did I goof....or did I? As you all say, bees will be bees.
On day forty-nine I had added a second medium (three total), moving up two capped brood frames from box 2. The girls went right to it, but I thought I was now safe...they couldn't outgrow this much room and we are in the blackberry flow in Seattle....they should be feeling great....
So on Thursday, less,than a week after I added the last box, they swarmed. My neighbor found a huge swarm in his rhododendron. I called my mentor and he was able to recapture them...so they are now off to a new hive in his bee yard ..which is fine. A good result to what could have been much worse.
But, I feel mildly disappointed. I tried to do all the things we are supposed to do to avoid swarming...
Thoughts? Observations? Where did I goof....or did I? As you all say, bees will be bees.