Is there anything a hobbyist beekeeper can do about swarms?

[fenster]

Last year I split my one hive into two to prevent swarming having had one swarm the previous year - my first in beekeeping. Splitting the hive was successful last year but two is enough hives for me so that option is not available. This year I have already had a good harvest but I have also had both hives swarm twice in the last three weeks. I gave one swarm to a local keeper but it was a real palaver getting it out of the trees so the other swarms I left to their own devices. As I write I have one swarm exiting from No1 hive two days ago clustered in the front garden and one from No2 hive this morning in the back garden. Is there a way of preempting all this by dividing the population while it is still in the hive so I can give the surplus away to a suitable home before it swarms and causes a local nuisance?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Last year I split my one hive into two to prevent swarming having had one swarm the previous year - my first in beekeeping. Splitting the hive was successful last year but two is enough hives for me so that option is not available. This year I have already had a good harvest but I have also had both hives swarm twice in the last three weeks. I gave one swarm to a local keeper but it was a real palaver getting it out of the trees so the other swarms I left to their own devices. As I write I have one swarm exiting from No1 hive two days ago clustered in the front garden and one from No2 hive this morning in the back garden. Is there a way of preempting all this by dividing the population while it is still in the hive so I can give the surplus away to a suitable home before it swarms and causes a local nuisance?

After you 'split' you can always cull one queen and unite the two colonies again
Haven't you heard of artificial swarming? You can't just sit on your backside and ignore it - it's what bees do.
I think you need to do a bit of research, there are myriad methods of swarm control, but either proactive or reactive it needs some effort on the side of the beekeeper.

 

[Jules59]

Last year I split my one hive into two to prevent swarming having had one swarm the previous year - my first in beekeeping. Splitting the hive was successful last year but two is enough hives for me so that option is not available. This year I have already had a good harvest but I have also had both hives swarm twice in the last three weeks. I gave one swarm to a local keeper but it was a real palaver getting it out of the trees so the other swarms I left to their own devices. As I write I have one swarm exiting from No1 hive two days ago clustered in the front garden and one from No2 hive this morning in the back garden. Is there a way of preempting all this by dividing the population while it is still in the hive so I can give the surplus away to a suitable home before it swarms and causes a local nuisance?

How often are you inspecting your hives during the "swarming " season ?
Out of interest have you been on any beekeeping courses or are you a member of a club ? Not saying its mandatory but it makes solving problems sometimes easier if you can discuss things quickly and in depth with people.

When I saw my first hive swarm (I'd been beekeeping only a few months) I was able to get advice in minutes and was able to retrieve the swarm within hours.

 

[pargyle]

Well ... take this kindly - but if you carry on like this the likelihood is that your bees will swarm to the point where you have no bees left, let alone any to give away. Colonies don't just swarm once, when they get going there can be several caste swarms ... and each one depletes the colony.

Do you inspect for queen cells ? If you do - what do you do when you find them ?

You really need to read up on artificial swarms ... a good place to start is here in Wally Shaws booklet which is really the bible for beginners who find queen cells (and a great reminder for those of us with ageing grey cells as well).

https://wbka.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/wbka-booklet-english-PDF.pdf
It's not very responsible to allow swarms to emanate from your hives - they are going to find a home somewhere and that could be in a neighbours chimney or roof space and they then have the problem of removing them.

If you want more of a read then get a copy of the Haynes Manual of Beekeeping - it will lead you through the beekeeping year and allow you to pre-empt some of the things that may happen and what to do when they inevitably do ...

 

[Mint Bee]

if you include your location in your profile, you might find someone local is able to help out

 

[Do224]

I think a lot of hobbyists just want a maximum of two hives and are unsure the best way to manage them on this basis.

Would the demaree method be a useful way of letting the bees expand during the season, whilst allowing the the number of hives to remain constant?

Or would it be better to split the hives temporarily and end up with two hives and two nucs for a period of time before combining them back together?

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s very easy to nuc the queen and recombine later.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Would the demaree method be a useful way of letting the bees expand during the season, whilst allowing the the number of hives to remain constant?

yes

 

[Do224]

It’s very easy to nuc the queen and recombine later.

At what point can you re-combine? Presumably there’s no point doing it any time soon or the bees will just want to swarm again…

 

[ApiarIAN]

You really need to read up on artificial swarms ... a good place to start is here in Wally Shaws booklet which is really the bible for beginners who find queen cells (and a great reminder for those of us with ageing grey cells as well).

https://wbka.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/wbka-booklet-english-PDF.pdf

Thanks for the pointer to this and a little bit more digging around yielded this with other helpful publications too - cheers

WBKA Publications - Welsh Beekeepers Association

 

[BugsInABox]

At what point can you re-combine? Presumably there’s no point doing it any time soon or the bees will just want to swarm again…

I have this exact question. From what I’ve found - you can pretty much unite as soon as you’re sure the new Q is up to the mustard - so maybe 3 weeks. Someone may disagree.

 

[Do224]

I have this exact question. From what I’ve found - you can pretty much unite as soon as you’re sure the new Q is up to the mustard - so maybe 3 weeks. Someone may disagree.

Ahh, ok so you keep the new queen? I guess that makes sense…

 

[Erichalfbee]

At what point can you re-combine? Presumably there’s no point doing it any time soon or the bees will just want to swarm again…

As soon as the new queen is laying well. Then you just choose which queen you want to keep.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ahh, ok so you keep the new queen? I guess that makes sense…

Or not. It depends. I usually keep the old one if she is still only in her second season and I paid good money for her the year before

 

[enrico]

For new beekeepers info, you must expect all hives to swarm every year ( You can control these swarms) So you need twice the amount of kit as you have hives. If you only want two hives you will at some point probably have four before you can get them back to two again. It is a fact of beekeeping. Believe that it is impossible to stop swarming and you will be thinking along the right lines. You can control it by manipulating the hives, but to get it right every year takes experience and a certain amount of luck. This is not a negative post, just one to help you understand that bees will do all they can to reproduce and that only happens when they swarm!

 

[BugsInABox]

For new beekeepers info, you must expect all hives to swarm every year ( You can control these swarms) So you need twice the amount of kit as you have hives. If you only want two hives you will at some point probably have four before you can get them back to two again. It is a fact of beekeeping. Believe that it is impossible to stop swarming and you will be thinking along the right lines. You can control it by manipulating the hives, but to get it right every year takes experience and a certain amount of luck. This is not a negative post, just one to help you understand that bees will do all they can to reproduce and that only happens when they swarm!

Though nuc boxes will do as your extras

 

[enrico]

Though nuc boxes will do as your extras?

Although that makes combining a little more difficult!

 

[BugsInABox]

Ah yes.

 

[ApiarIAN]

For new beekeepers info, you must expect all hives to swarm every year ( You can control these swarms) So you need twice the amount of kit as you have hives. If you only want two hives you will at some point probably have four before you can get them back to two again. It is a fact of beekeeping. Believe that it is impossible to stop swarming and you will be thinking along the right lines. You can control it by manipulating the hives, but to get it right every year takes experience and a certain amount of luck. This is not a negative post, just one to help you understand that bees will do all they can to reproduce and that only happens when they swarm!

This is helpful info as I plan how to make a start next spring - I'm learning and experiencing as much as I can over this summer before prepping the area and starting in earnest come April/May 2023. I get why you suggest having spare kit based on dealing with swarm control - could I check if this is required season 1 if I start with new hives and purchase 2 x 5 frame Nuc's to start them off (or is this a bad plan??) - I'm currently thinking about 2xBS Nationals, brood box plus 2 supers (and all the other components/frames, Queen Ex, crown, lid etc) - do I need the spare kit from the start or should I plan for this if they over winter well and have them on hand for season 2???

 

[enrico]

This is helpful info as I plan how to make a start next spring - I'm learning and experiencing as much as I can over this summer before prepping the area and starting in earnest come April/May 2023. I get why you suggest having spare kit based on dealing with swarm control - could I check if this is required season 1 if I start with new hives and purchase 2 x 5 frame Nuc's to start them off (or is this a bad plan??) - I'm currently thinking about 2xBS Nationals, brood box plus 2 supers (and all the other components/frames, Queen Ex, crown, lid etc) - do I need the spare kit from the start or should I plan for this if they over winter well and have them on hand for season 2???

Whatever I suggest the bees will prove me wrong. To start with go for two supers a hive. You can't take one off if you haven't got a spare! At least have two nuc boxes spare so you can do queen splits. If you have two hives you will need room in your apiary for more. No one can guarantee queen's won't swarm in their first year so it is a risk you take