Swarms not as plentiful this year

[user 20297]

Yesterday I had four swarms in bait hives, with a further two that I guessed might be second swarms trying to occupy the same box. I moved them into separate boxes and checked one on my way past today. They seem to be happy and haven't absconded, so perhaps my guess was correct. For now I shall assume that yesterday I ended up with six more swarms.

This morning when I went out to open the greenhouse and polytunnel I noticed a swarm in a bivouac on a plum tree. I assumed it must have been from one of my hives even though I couldn't reason how and collected it. Then this afternoon another swarm arrived, using a crab apple tree to bivouac on. I saw that arrive and it certainly wasn't from the direction of my hives, so now I'm doubting the first though I can't think where it might have come from. I'm really getting down to the scraps of kit now however. I have more, but it's stuff I've taken out of use this Spring because it needs repairing. I have no suitable crown boards nor roofs until I repair/make more. I ended up collecting the swarm in a plastic bucket and tipping it straight into a hive. I'm having to use one of the boards I use to top and tail my super stacks over winter as a crown board/roof. Fortunately no rain is forecast for ages.

I'm just above to move them both out of the way.

I could do with a break now. I think I'm up to 16 collected and still present, one refused because it was in a chimney, one absconded after collection and four flew off whilst I was getting organised to collect them. Normally I get no more than four calls about swarms each year. Usually fewer.

James

I can only think, "LEY-LINES".

 

[JamezF]

I can only think, "LEY-LINES".

Oh, don't you start!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Today I witnessed a VQ depart on her mating flight and then return about 30 minutes later, all captured on video and photo

Can you share?

 

[JamezF]

Found this evening whilst looking for information on swarms with multiple queens:

The North Wales towns and villages in the grip of 'extraordinary' bee swarms

James

 

[Curly green finger's]

I’ve had two days of work checking bait hives now and I have 4 more swarms humming

 

[Swarm]

My wife keeps showing me swarms reported on FB, it's been a daily thing for quite a while now, sometimes a few on the same day. There was a very big swarm not far from me, it looked about four feet off the ground in an Acer, a simple shake into a box.

 

[Newbeeneil]

My wife keeps showing me swarms reported on FB, it's been a daily thing for quite a while now, sometimes a few on the same day. There was a very big swarm not far from me, it looked about four feet off the ground in an Acer, a simple shake into a box.

I’ve picked up 2 today, found 2 more in bait hives and have scouts at 4 more bait hives. The local BKA swarm line WhatsApp group has been pinging constantly for the last week!

 

[rook66]

I’ve picked up 2 today, found 2 more in bait hives and have scouts at 4 more bait hives. The local BKA swarm line WhatsApp group has been pinging constantly for the last week!

I had another big one yesterday, which makes five in ten days, which equals the last thirty years! What's different this year? I am using old rotting solid floors, the brood boxes have a 25mm hole àbove the entrance, this seems to get all the attention of the scouts. There is a 100mm slatted eke under the bb, most have bits of wild comb, the ones that I have vaped so far have zero mites. My penny's worth

 

[Newbeeneil]

I checked some of my bait hives yesterday and found that 6 were occupied. What with the 2 I was called out to pick up I now have over twenty destined for my isolation apiary.
This year has been silly swarm wise once they got going.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Another swarm moving in yesterday this is a silly swarming season .
Going through them I have two of my own out of 100+ colony’s and 12 unknown two buckfast colonies.
And scouts in a double nuc yesterday.

 

[JamezF]

It's come to something when a day without a swarm is to be celebrated. Not that it makes much odds to me any more I think. I have completely run out of kit to house them. I really want to get another bait hive out at home, but I can't even do that until I can get some more repairs done and make more frames.

I started this year with a plan for a modest increase in the number of colonies I had. At the moment I think I have three times as many and only one of them was according to the plan.

If this is a sign of what might happen in future years I'm going to have to give my quarantine arrangements some serious thoughts.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

It's come to something when a day without a swarm is to be celebrated. Not that it makes much odds to me any more I think. I have completely run out of kit to house them. I really want to get another bait hive out at home, but I can't even do that until I can get some more repairs done and make more frames.

I started this year with a plan for a modest increase in the number of colonies I had. At the moment I think I have three times as many and only one of them was according to the plan.

If this is a sign of what might happen in future years I'm going to have to give my quarantine arrangements some serious thoughts.

James

I have the same problem james. I started in April with 55 hives I now have an additional 16 splits and 20 swarms!
The splits and swarms are now out growing there nuc boxes so I’ve got to find about 30 floors, boxes, crown boards and roofs!
I’m going to start giving the swarms in 5 frame nucs away in return for 5 made up frames!!!
My isolation apiary is getting crowded!!!!

 

[JamezF]

My isolation apiary is getting crowded!!!!

That's where my problem is going to come. I had a few people say to me last winter that they liked the idea of having some colonies on their property as well as one place I hopeed to set up a new apiary, so I suggested that I leave bait hives and see if bees turn up. If they do then it's probably a place that bees might like to live; if they don't then we can try again, but perhaps not. Obviously with no other bees there I've not had to worry about quarantine, but for those places where swarms have arrived this year (all but one of them now, I think), then next year it's a different story...

James

 

[Antipodes]

View attachment 36339
Another swarm moving in yesterday this is a silly swarming season .
Going through them I have two of my own out of 100+ colony’s and 12 unknown two buckfast colonies.
And scouts in a double nuc yesterday.

Brilliant.
What's the big tree in the still? Is that the oak in the movie?

 

[Curly green finger's]

Brilliant.
What's the big tree in the still? Is that the oak in the movie?

Yes it is mate I like putting my bait hives at the base of trees it’s where i get the majority of my swarms from that spot has had a few now .
There is another bait hive a double nuc about 5 metres away by another oak tree .
Funny enough most of my bait hives that are At the apiary’s have been void of any swarms this season and most have used double nucs I use two/three old combs and a couple of drops of lemon grass oil the comb is pushed up against one side of the hive in single brood my nucs have 4 combs two in the bottom two above both pushed to the same side so the girls can scope the inside and ping away

 

[Superlativesoul]

The weather is the influence on swarming. This season so far has been colder and wetter than last spring, perhaps 3 weeks behind. The bees sensed a change on the way about 10-12 days ago and last week I collected 9 swarms in 2 days in N Wiltshire.

So far this year I’ve collected 21 along with 4 that have found themselves homes in bait hives.

A further 4 absconded before I could get to them and 2 absconded from the skeps.

Today I witnessed a VQ depart on her mating flight and then return about 30 minutes later, all captured on video and photo

KR

S

That would be cool to can you upload it so all of us newbies can see please
Cheers John

 

[Erichalfbee]

That would be cool to can you upload it so all of us newbies can see please
Cheers John

Yes....I asked too. Shall we start a petition ?

 

[Erichalfbee]

That would be cool to can you upload it so all of us newbies can see please
Cheers John

Meanwhile here's one ......she's already out. Look how excited the bees are massing on the front of the hive. See if you can spot her coming back. She's there at around 1.25


View attachment IMG_2675.mov

 

[Superlativesoul]

Meanwhile here's one ......she's already out. Look how excited the bees are massing on the front of the hive. See if you can spot her coming back. She's there at around 1.25


View attachment 36350

Thanks for posting this ,I've watched this a few times snd couldn't spot her ,guess I'll be spending my day watching now . had some bees around my hive yesterday its got some old comb given by my mentor inside with some drawn foundation and new ,I also used lemon grass and some liquid honey syrup on the frames ,some went inside to investigate, hoping more will arrive today fingers crossed .Off to to the association Apiary today for some much needed advice and hands on teaching .Wishing everyone a happy Saturday

 

[Curly green finger's]

Three more swarms