Captured swarm - first inspection - what to expect?

[Ed Woods]

I acquired a captured swarm from another forum member on Thursday evening. I kept them in their NUC box on four and a half frames until Saturday when I transferred them into their new home - I opened the entrance of the NUC on Thursday evening so they had a few days to get acquainted to their location.

I have not fed them - I have placed a cat bowl full of water - with chalk clunch - on top of the hive - the clunch, being chalk, absorbs the moisture -the bees sit on the clunch drinking the moisture from the clunch.

On Saturday they were bringing in large amounts of pollen and the neighbours have reported their gardens are full of bees

They are very placid bunch of girls - should I assume they are too busy building new comb and harveting necter to bother me at the moment? Placid to me but very vicious to any inquisitive bee that tries to enter their new home - and one of my cats who thought it would be fun to bop the bees with her paw as they flew in and out - one sting and she keeps her distance now.

Today I looked at each frame - no smoke used - each side of five frames are now full of drawn comb with honey in most of them - they have now started building comb on the sixth frame. Each frame was thick and heavy with bees. Only a few of the bees flew about - none tried to sting me.

Only one Verroa mite on the inspection board so far.

I have noticed today for the first time drones entering the wild bees nest above my front doorway and drones entering my new hive in my back garden so I assume the drones are transferring from each hive.

I don't plan a proper inspection until the coming weekend, but, how many days should I leave them before opening them up again - is leaving them alone until next Saturday or Sunday long enough - or should I leave them longer? What should I look out for and what should I expect?

 

[drstitson]

next week will be fine.

 

[Moggs]

It seems as if they are settling nicely. You have already started your routine of inspections and if they are drawing and filling comb as you suggest, don't feed. It's important that you establish that the queen is laying - it sounds like a prime swarm and not a cast so she should be up and running very quickly. once she becomes an egg production machine again, keep making room and check for queen cells. If she's a bit of a dud, the bees may elect to supersede her for a new model.

Many beekeepers settle for a seven-day inspection at this time of year (swarming season) to establish a timely and convenient routine in the quest for queen cells.

Good luck!

 

[oliver90owner]

On another thread you said: My new swarm has drawn four and half frames since Thursday

To me that would appear that they might need a super in the fairly near future. It would help if we knew whether this swarm was a prime or cast. That would make a considerable difference for any sensible response.

Most books (eg Hooper) have a checklist for inspections and there are items on the net.

RAB

 

[Ed Woods]

On another thread you said: My new swarm has drawn four and half frames since Thursday

To me that would appear that they might need a super in the fairly near future. It would help if we knew whether this swarm was a prime or cast. That would make a considerable difference for any sensible response.

Most books (eg Hooper) have a checklist for inspections and there are items on the net.

RAB

One of the frames that came in the Nuc only had half wax foundation but the bees are building downwards to fill the gap - hence four and a half frames with comb. I have no idea how to tell if it is prime or cast - but using the search facility to read up on any previous threads

 

[drstitson]

prime=brood box full
cast=melon sized

 

[Ed Woods]

prime=brood box full
cast=melon sized

The bees completly cover both sides of five and a half frames although in some areas the bees are in large knots two or more layers deep - I assume the Queen is buried amongst one of these clumps.

 

[grahambee]

in some areas the bees are in large knots two or more layers deep - I assume the Queen is buried amongst one of these clumps.

The clumps are the bees makeing the wax

 

[oliver90owner]

prime=brood box full
cast=melon sized

To a degree, maybe. But there are other sizes within/without that range.

A prime normally has a laying queen, a cast will definitely have a virgin.

'Grey area' might be the first (effective) swarm from a hive with a clipped queen - a large swarm with a virgin queen. I don't clip, so I have never looked closely at the definitions for this scenario and they should not be that common.

RAB

 

[Finman]

.
Question is to learn what is happening in the hive. They need not checking - if you think so.

If the swarm covers first 5 frame, it need not another box for next 5 weeks. One box is enough.

I suppose that the weight of swarm is one kilo. Size is like baggage colony.

 

[Ed Woods]

Bees have been very busy today - so many bees going in and out sometimes two or three land on each other - lots of pollen being taken in.

Just finished an inspection - about six frames covered in drawn comb - however the combs apeared empty - no sign of any stores or any eggs!

Four of the frames completely covered in large clumps of bees - didnt remove them to see what was underneath. But gaps showed drawn comb but cells appeared completely empty.

What should I have expected to see after a week?

I will leave them for another week before looking again

 

[Dishmop]

Only one Verroa mite on the inspection board so far.

Good time for Oxalic?