Author Topic: Strange Happenings?  (Read 1468 times)

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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Strange Happenings?
« on: May 18, 2018, 12:13:06 pm »
I stacked several supers outside my shop for easy access to load, Well the other day i backed the truck up to load some and when i took the lid off of one stack about 50 bees came out and said HELLO :o (took 3 hits) a swarm had moved in :yes: I put a bottom board and a migrate cover on them and left them there. I decided two days later to move them to a outyard up north, but i started to load some supers first so the hive would be in front so i could unload it first, well i noticed bees flying in and out of the other stack of supers? and sure enough another swarm had moved  in to them also? Now i have two hives to move up north 8). Another strange thing i've noticed, most of my hives are two deeps for brood and how ever many supers they need on top? well i had put two supers on to start with on the strong hives and when i went to check them they had and were filling the bottom deep full of honey first, and was starting on the supers? First thought, They have lost their queen and was backfilling or getting ready to swarm? Nope the queen was there and laying in the bottom deep! Anyone else seeing this? several hives in this yard was doing this??? Jack

Offline riverbee

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2018, 10:53:00 pm »
jack, leave it to you to get swarms in your stacked supers without too much work........... :D

well, all except for having to move them somewhere else........ :D
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
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Offline tecumseh

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2018, 07:57:04 am »
a good beekeeper's hives never swarm < add your favorite funny face here.

ps... if the bottom boxes are empty the bees will tend to fill around the brood nest before storing nectar above the brood nest.  I tip a lot of hives mainly to see if they have weight <and thereby stores> and how the stores are stowed in the hives <ie up high or lower down>.  it is not so unusual Jack to see bees do the same thing here early in the spring especially if the lower boxes are bone dry empty.

Online Bakersdozen

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2018, 08:08:07 am »
I got a call from a 2nd year beekeeper last night.  He installed 2 new queens, in two colonies, two weeks ago.  He is seeing a little larvae and capped brood in one colony.  In the other the bees are back filling the brood boxes with honey.  He thought perhaps the queen didn't last long in the colony that they were back filling.  Like a lot of us, he can't see the eggs.  I told him to give her a few more days.  I think she is still in there.  My concern would be that they back fill it to the point where she has no where to lay once she gets going.

Offline Les

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2018, 11:17:08 am »
Baker the only way I can see eggs now is by taking a close picture with my phone and then blowing up the pic.  I bought two queens a couple weeks ago and thought one was a dud until I took this pic.  The capped brood is from a frame i took out of another hive.  Cataract surgery on right eye being scheduled soon.


Offline Wandering Man

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2018, 12:19:31 pm »
Good pic, Les.

The last time I tried to take a picture with my cell phone, I couldn't get the leather gloves to register on the screen.  Too much material on the end of my finger, I guess.

I need to start carrying a stylus with me.
Never argue with drunks or crazy people
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Strange Happenings?
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2018, 11:13:31 am »
that is a great pic les!
i keep wild things in a box..........™
if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
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