Bit of a dilemma

[irishguy]

Last inspection was on Sat and added a super for more room. I'm working 90mins away from home stoning 2 gables and leave at 6 in morning and back between 6.45-7.15 at night. On Fri leave for work and misses picking me up after it at 4.30pm and heading away for long wknd. Back Monday night.

Do I inspect thrus night at 7ish pm or Monday when I'm back or does it even matter much what one I choose since I added space last inspection.

 

[pargyle]

Last inspection was on Sat and added a super for more room. I'm working 90mins away from home stoning 2 gables and leave at 6 in morning and back between 6.45-7.15 at night. On Fri leave for work and misses picking me up after it at 4.30pm and heading away for long wknd. Back Monday night.

Do I inspect thrus night at 7ish pm or Monday when I'm back or does it even matter much what one I choose since I added space last inspection.

If it's fine and dry and a good evening you will be OK opening them up - might be a few more bees around you at that time of night but be quick and you will be OK. However, unless you have real reasons to believe they are in swarm mode or you think they may run out of space I, personally, would let them get on with it ...

Tin hat on ...

 

[Fatbee]

It's not a dilemma you know the risks of not inspecting (potential lost swarm) versus a lot of bees at home doing a late evening inspection.

Adding a super buys you no time in my opinion because all depends upon the maturity of the colony, space in brood box and the type if bees you have which only you know.

 

[Poly Hive]

An early inspection is the better choice, as if you find they have been naughty in your absence then.... you will be very unhappy with yourself.

Anyway weekends away in the swarming season??????????????? Tut.

PH

 

[irishguy]

An early inspection is the better choice, as if you find they have been naughty in your absence then.... you will be very unhappy with yourself.

Anyway weekends away in the swarming season??????????????? Tut.

PH

Would love to say it's a dirty wknd away but her granny is about to croke it, so have to pop away for few days so she sees her. Under pressure with work so could do without it TBH but needs must

 

[irishguy]

If it's fine and dry and a good evening you will be OK opening them up - might be a few more bees around you at that time of night but be quick and you will be OK. However, unless you have real reasons to believe they are in swarm mode or you think they may run out of space I, personally, would let them get on with it ...

Tin hat on ...

Seen 1 Queen cup last inspection and bees where filling the brood area with Honey! Might have been going into swarm mode because no cells to lay in, alougth there was a half drawn comb filled with eggs and another old brown drawn comb that the Queen wasn't to kean to lay in.

 

[REDWOOD]

Adding a super only gives bees more space, not knowing size of colony only you will know if the queen is fast running out of space to lay.

 

[pargyle]

Seen 1 Queen cup last inspection and bees where filling the brood area with Honey! Might have been going into swarm mode because no cells to lay in, alougth there was a half drawn comb filled with eggs and another old brown drawn comb that the Queen wasn't to kean to lay in.

Looks like they may be going in that direction but the next question is ... if you find they are serious are you equipped for an A/S and have the time to do it ?

If not - then it's a waste of time looking !!

 

[Finman]

Adding a super only gives bees more space, not knowing size of colony only you will know if the queen is fast running out of space to lay.

You can give more space to lowest. Give foundations. Normal procedure "if space is running out".

When you give expansion down, you do not need to know exactly, how fast space is running out. Give one box down and another up, if you want.
.

 

[Finman]

Seen 1 Queen cup last inspection and bees where filling the brood area with Honey! Might have been going into swarm mode because no cells to lay in, alougth there was a half drawn comb filled with eggs and another old brown drawn comb that the Queen wasn't to kean to lay in.

When you see it with own eyes, give more boxes. God helps only those who help themselves.

 

[Obee1]

An early inspection is the better choice, as if you find they have been naughty in your absence then.... you will be very unhappy with yourself.

Anyway weekends away in the swarming season??????????????? Tut.

PH

Dying in the swarming season - tut!
My daughter had the cheek to get married in the swarming season thus taking my up my valuable spare time. Tut. I will have a word and make sure she doesn't plan on presenting me with grand babies during future swarming seasons.
Some folk just don't understand the importance of our bees!

 

[irishguy]

Looks like they may be going in that direction but the next question is ... if you find they are serious are you equipped for an A/S and have the time to do it ?

If not - then it's a waste of time looking !!

Ended up checking that hive that day, everything seemed fine, no QCs, no more Queen cups etc... So I thought best to leave them at it because they have plenty of room now super is on. Was going to check thrus night but thought best to leave them at it and not disturb hopefully they'll fill rest of super and now there's more room, she won't swarm. Well, another lesson learnt lol. Yep you guessed it, tonight at 5, capped QC and other QCs all over the place. Very small larvae so must have just missed it Still seems good enough bees thou but couldn't find the Queen.

Broke down all QCs apart from 2 open charged cells and one sealed. Going to go into it tomorrow again and either knock the capped and one of the charged so that'll leave 1 charged or shake bees into an apidea and put some brood,stores and the capped QC into it for security incase I have probs with the other QC. Can't think of anything better to do TBH or is there?

 

[pargyle]

Broke down all QCs apart from 2 open charged cells and one sealed. Going to go into it tomorrow again and either knock the capped and one of the charged so that'll leave 1 charged or shake bees into an apidea and put some brood,stores and the capped QC into it for security incase I have probs with the other QC. Can't think of anything better to do TBH or is there?

That's about the best you can do .. damage limitation - you don't want any casts or you will see a reduction in the number of bees. At least you are bolstering the feral bee population ...

 

[irishguy]

. At least you are bolstering the feral bee population ...

Yeah that's one positive out of my bee keeping adventure lol.

 

[irishguy]

That's about the best you can do .. damage limitation - you don't want any casts or you will see a reduction in the number of bees. At least you are bolstering the feral bee population ...

What would others have done in my situation. Would they have still went in every 7 days even thou a super was added with plenty of room.

What I gathered from this hive. The Queen started to lay in top corner of that old comb but didn't in rest of the frame then the bees filled it with Honey even thou there was a super on

 

[Erichalfbee]

What would others have done in my situation. Would they have still went in every 7 days even thou a super was added with plenty of room.

Adding a super will not stop swarming

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Adding a super will not stop swarming

It just takes away one of the factors that may trigger it

 

[irishguy]

Adding a super will not stop swarming

Ironic that it happened when I left it for an extra few days rather than the week or weeks before lol.

I'm curious to know, how far does a swarm swarm. Would I be wasting my time if I went searching in the trees, Bush's and sheds near me.

 

[alldigging]

What would others have done in my situation. Would they have still went in every 7 days even thou a super was added with plenty of room.

What I gathered from this hive. The Queen started to lay in top corner of that old comb but didn't in rest of the frame then the bees filled it with Honey even thou there was a super on

Yes

It is the swarming season still.

 

[alldigging]

Ironic that it happened when I left it for an extra few days rather than the week or weeks before lol.

I'm curious to know, how far does a swarm swarm. Would I be wasting my time if I went searching in the trees, Bush's and sheds near me.

Get a bait box up and if they've not found a nice home yet they might come back to the bait box.

Putting a bait box up is not a method of swarm prevention though.