Requeening

[Mrdino]

One of my hives swarmed last weekend when it was very warm for a few days of 20+ here. I had them all ready for winter and they had already been fed syrup and had some bakers fondant on top.

I couldn't locate the swarm, they went over someone else's land and out of sight.
I'm guessing they are doomed and have no chance to survive the winter, and there is no chance of a virgin queen getting mated now with the current weather and temperature and that hive is now done for?

 

[Erichalfbee]

One of my hives swarmed last weekend when it was very warm for a few days of 20+ here. I had them all ready for winter and they had already been fed syrup and had some bakers fondant on top.

I couldn't locate the swarm, they went over someone else's land and out of sight.
I'm guessing they are doomed and have no chance to survive the winter, and there is no chance of a virgin queen getting mated now with the current weather and temperature and that hive is now done for?

Not done for. Take out the queen cells and unite with another.

 

[blackcloud]

Did a full system flush a few years ago on a similarly aged ch system and it improved things dramatically.
Any of you plumbers keep bees?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did a full system flush a few years ago on a similarly aged ch system and it improved things dramatically

did it when I bought the place - and again when we replaced the boiler I'd installed originally

 

[Antipodes]

Not done for. Take out the queen cells and unite with another.

What would be the situation with merging if in addition to queen cells there was a virgin(s) queen in the colony that has just swarmed? Would she/they be killed by the workers in favour of the old queen in the hive you are merging them into?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

did it when I bought the place - and again when we replaced the boiler I'd installed originally

Many old systems were installed with the circulating pump "pulling" the water round the system and back to the boiler rather than "pushing" it towards the radiators. The boiler was traditionally connected to the primary coil of the hot water cylinder by large bore pipes to encourage thermosiphon action to heat the cylinder. Typically there would be a feed and expansion connection to a header tank from the cylinder coil. When the circulating pump was running the effect was to create a suction condition on the radiator pipework. Any pinholes or loose glands on radiator valves provided a means of air being drawn into the system water and the oxygen content would corrode the inside of the pipes and radiators. Steel radiators and steel boilers would start to leak after a few years but before this stage the oxide sludge would build up and cause circulation problems. I carried out a boiler change for a client some years ago which was the result of just this situation. The job included taking every radiator outside and flushing through with a hosepipe, re-locating the pump to "push" the system water round the system so the rads were under positive pressure, refill, dose with corrosion inhibitor and commissioning.
Prior to the job the radiators suffered poor circulation, frequently required venting and during venting the radiator water was pitch black. After the work the radiators worked as intended and continued to do so for the seven years the client remained in the house.

 

[Erichalfbee]

What would be the situation with merging if in addition to queen cells there was a virgin(s) queen in the colony that has just swarmed? Would she/they be killed by the workers in favour of the old queen in the hive you are merging them into?

Well the OP would have to have a real good look for an emerged queen cell then look for her
It's quite common for swarms to leave well after QCs are capped but I've never had them leave with a virgin running around the hive

 

[Antipodes]

Well the OP would have to have a real good look for an emerged queen cell then look for her
It's quite common for swarms to leave well after QCs are capped but I've never had them leave with a virgin running around the hive

The OP said they "swarmed last weekend". Plenty of time since then I would have thought for a virgin/s to have emerged....

 

[Erichalfbee]

The OP said they "swarmed last weekend". Plenty of time since then I would have thought for a virgin/s to have emerged....

4 days assuming they swarmed on Saturday
You might be right.
I'd still be looking or asking a proper experienced beekeeper.
If I couldn't find her then I'd leave them to it

 

[Amari]

Many old systems were installed with the circulating pump "pulling" the water round the system and back to the boiler rather than "pushing" it towards the radiators. The boiler was traditionally connected to the primary coil of the hot water cylinder by large bore pipes to encourage thermosiphon action to heat the cylinder. Typically there would be a feed and expansion connection to a header tank from the cylinder coil. When the circulating pump was running the effect was to create a suction condition on the radiator pipework. Any pinholes or loose glands on radiator valves provided a means of air being drawn into the system water and the oxygen content would corrode the inside of the pipes and radiators. Steel radiators and steel boilers would start to leak after a few years but before this stage the oxide sludge would build up and cause circulation problems. I carried out a boiler change for a client some years ago which was the result of just this situation. The job included taking every radiator outside and flushing through with a hosepipe, re-locating the pump to "push" the system water round the system so the rads were under positive pressure, refill, dose with corrosion inhibitor and commissioning.
Prior to the job the radiators suffered poor circulation, frequently required venting and during venting the radiator water was pitch black. After the work the radiators worked as intended and continued to do so for the seven years the client remained in the house.

Cor blimey! I'm glad I chose medicine as a career - the pipe work and its maintenance in my field was a doddle compared with the complexities facing a heating engineer described above.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cor blimey! I'm glad I chose medicine as a career - the pipe work and its maintenance in my field was a doddle compared with the complexities facing a heating engineer described above.

Yep. Anatomy is pretty constant

 

[Swarm]

I would leave them to it, either they will or they won't, I wouldn't compromise another colony.
Last year I arrived at the apiary with a swarm in progress, they were forming in a load of brambles in front of the hives. Two frames in and spotted the queen nipping around the side of the frame. Newly emerged cell on the next frame and another three cells on subsequent frames, emerging in my hands.
Is there something running around in that hive? Who knows but it's a bit late to be delving in hives, IMO.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9riuwa08843due3/20210506_140136.mp4?dl=0

 

[Erichalfbee]

It’s 15 degrees here. Bees are flying like it was summer. Forecast is for the same for another 10 days.(edited T)

 

[JamezF]

It’s 17 degrees here. Bees are flying like it was summer. Forecast is for the same for another 10 days.

Wow! We're barely scraping 11°C here at the moment.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Wow! We're barely scraping 11°C here at the moment.

James

Sorry dropped 2 degrees off that.
Sunny and not a cloud in the sky and no wind.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

It’s 15 degrees here. Bees are flying like it was summer. Forecast is for the same for another 10 days.(edited T)

really! occasionally sunny here but showers in between, thunder and heavy showers forecast for later, sunny spells tomorrow but rain all day Saturday, showery from then on

 

[JamezF]

occasionally sunny here but showers in between

That's pretty much how it is here. Some of the showers have been pretty torrential, too.

I've spent most of this afternoon collecting apples to press this weekend, but decided to call a halt for the day before finishing the last tree because climbing ladders in heavy rain isn't my idea of fun.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

really! occasionally sunny here but showers in between, thunder and heavy showers forecast for later, sunny spells tomorrow but rain all day Saturday, showery from then on

Yes two hours later a front came over and it got really cold
Then threw a shower.

 

[Amari]

Yep. Anatomy is pretty constant

In my field, yes but I'm full of admiration for you vets having to master the anatomy of mammals, birds and reptiles et al.......

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes two hours later a front came over and it got really cold
Then threw a shower.

the last shower started as the chickens were ready to be locked in, within minutes the drains backed up so the back yard was a lake so was the home apiary, I got a soaking just running out to clear the drain and shut the henhouse pophole