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ENVIRONMENT

Thoughts on swarms and swarming

  • 14 Apr 2024 4:43 PM
    Quote
    Reply # 13343273 on 13342778
    Claire Moody

    Two things to add to the follow-up to the April meeting. One, the notes for installing a nuc that we went over in the meeting are in: About Bees, Forms and Docs.  Secondly, the construction info for building a bait hive like the one that was shown at the meeting are in Horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/ swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml.
  • 12 Apr 2024 7:23 PM
    Quote
    Message # 13342778
    Claire Moody

    These are the notes I will be using for the bee club meeting. I hope you will be there!

    Thoughts on Queen Cells and Swarming

    1.     Not all queen cells are swarm cells.  Some are “emergency” queen cells. Others are “supercedure” queen cells. Don’t just go in and start ripping the queen cells out. Be able to recognize the difference. 

    2.    Causes of swarming (an innate necessary activity)

    • a.)  dilution of the queen pheromone because of the number of bees or the age of the queen.
    • b.)  Lack of space for the queen to lay because of the huge production of brood or the colony being honey-bound.
    • c.)  Crowding
    • d.)  Abundance of resources
    • e.)  Genetics; age of the queen (the older the queen the more likely to swarm); environmental conditions (i.e. beautiful warm days)
    3.    Preventing swarming
    • a.)   Add more space BEFORE they feel crowded (hive boxes and supers)
    • b.)   Checkerboard (must use drawn comb)
    • c.)   Walk-away split
    • d.)    Make a nuc
    • e.)    Artifical swarm
    • f.)    Demaree Method

     4.     So you find true swarm cells!  What now?  (Artificial Swarm) 

    • Be sure you have a queen, i.e. that the colony has not already swarmed. 

    Move every frame with a queen cell on it to a new box. Be sure not to take the queen.  Shake the bees off of frames where you can’t see a swarm cell and check.  You MUST find every queen cell. Smash queen cups. Move a couple of food frames which nurse bees will need for the open brood. 

    The new hive filled with queen cells can be right next to the old hive. Be sure to monitor the food stores because there will be no foragers coming and going.

    The old hive with the original queen will have empty frames to replace the frames you took.  This will ease the crowding but check thoroughly

    in five days for the presence of additional, new queen cells.  Either crush them or move that frame to the new colony.

    5.    Bait hives -  PUT UP NOW

    Cardboard nuc boxes do not work.  They are not large enough.

    There are nuc-like boxes which are a little wider and a lot deeper. Ten frame deep hive boxes will also work but are heavy to lift.

    Locate:  Off the ground, if possible. Can be bungied to a tree, placed on limb, nailed to tree, placed on a table,  etc.  The edge of a tree line with morning sun is a plus.

    Add one frame of old drawn comb and a few drops of lemongrass oil. Filling the box with foundationless frames keep them from drawing comb from the lid of the box.
    Last modified: 12 Apr 2024 7:39 PM | Claire Moody
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