Taranov board.

Hi all, Last Saturday I went to my local Beekeeping branch out apiary meeting. The topics where Swarm control, Queen marking and clipping and how to catch/retrieve a swarm. It was very well run and we all got to practice marking using drones. But for me the demonstration of swarm control using a Taranov board was very interesting. Has anyone any thoughts on the practice of this method? or does anyone use this method regularly. It seemed to me tobe very straight forward and practical.

I've not used it but I'm interested and plan to make and try one. Do you have to wait for queen cells or can it be pre-emptive action?

The demonstration was using a hive with Queen cells in it. It was fascinating to watch the older bees jump the 4inch gap back into the hive and to watch the Queen go under the board followed by Her young bees. They made a nice cluster under the board. The demonstrator said He would be putting the cluster in a new hive when every one had gone home and that He would be selecting a couple of Queen cells in the old hive. I presume that you could do this as a routine method of swarm control as long as the old hive has something to make a new queen with. I will certainly be having a go

Dave cushmans web site is good to read on this subject. There are some good diagram etc

I made one in early April, primarily for the purpose of finding an aged queen that hadn't been clipped or marked - and for similar swarm control in the future. I made it of spare 18mm ply for the most part and it was heavy-ish. 9mm ply would be much better as it would be lighter for the final action of tipping the bees out from under the slope. However, there were so many bees clinging to the cloth sides covering the slope (the cloth was quite wide too) that tipping them out became very messy. Frankly there are better ways of doing this whether or not for swarm control and storing such an awkward shaped article is not ideal either - unless one makes two of them perhaps and stores them face to face!!! Buy why bother I reckon.

I have used it more than a few times esp when stuck on finding the queen. Yes it does happen...lol

It is very effective but... and there is aye a but people.

The bees can get VERY defensive so if you think five stings is serious then it's not for you.

If you are in an urban garden situation see above and think hard.

If you are in an out apiary as I am then it is your problem, and it works well.

PH

Thanks for the good advise. My apiary is pretty rural so like you say it will be my problem. I am still a novice yet so I may try a few methods over time and then use the one I find best.

This is sort of the opposite of an AS, in that with standard AS you have the queen with the flying ie older bees, and the young nurse bees left with the brood, whereas here it is vice versa.

Does anyone know of any practical difference in the result, in terms of establishment?

Yes the bees live longer than in a swarm for obvious reasons.

PH

I went to the NBKA training apiary @ Easton College a couple of yrs ago to a demonstration of a few types of swarm control.
Demaree, Pagden, Taranov and Snelgrove were all demonstrated.
the Taranov was successful, as was the Pagden and the demaree, the Snelgrove didn't work!! ( I returned a week later)

Yes Dave Cushman's diagrams are very good.
Do you need a "floor" part or will one suffice? A piece of ply for the slope with the 2 "legs" attached with screws (can loosen and fold down for storage) or am I missing something?

It is much easier with the complete deal.

It is best set up on a sheet I find.

It a very sticky job if there is a nectar flow though.

PH