Author Topic: and for something completely different  (Read 1684 times)

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Offline rober

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and for something completely different
« on: August 02, 2020, 04:16:43 pm »
i was down by my hives at the house & spotted what looked to be a swarm hanging from the bottom of the hive. when i started retrieving the "swarm" i found that the bees had left hive hive & built comb under the bottom board. i broke down the hive & shook the bees into a box, rubber banded the brood into empty frames, put a different box on a different bottom board, reinstalled the bees, & put the hive back together. i'll check it in a couple days. there were very few beetles & no signs of moths so i have no idea why they did this. it looks like they were using the hive to store honey as it was fairly full.







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Offline RAST

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #1 on: August 02, 2020, 04:43:11 pm »
Without knowing history of the hive I would presume a queen returning from a mating flight did not find her way back in and she and her entourage took up residence there.

Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2020, 06:24:58 pm »
Look at the brood! That's interesting pictures.  I think RAST is right.  Is there any signs of a queen inside the brood boxes?

Offline Jen

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2020, 12:53:37 am »
Wow! Gorgeous, and an interesting story.
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Offline iddee

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2020, 05:56:13 am »
I agree with RAST. I have seen this often with screen bottoms. I have never seen it on a solid bottom. Just my thoughts, but it may be an odor thing. The queen flies under the box because the screen allows a stronger smell than the entrance. No science, but another reason I quit using screen bottoms.
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Offline rober

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2020, 06:47:42 am »
this is/was a strong hive. i pulled 3 supers off it about 10 days ago. now that they're back in the hive i'll check them in a few days to see whether i got the queen sorted.

Offline rober

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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2020, 09:21:45 am »
this is/was a strong hive. i pulled 3 supers off it about 10 days ago. now that they're back in the hive i'll check them in a few days to see whether i got the queen sorted.
I'm still curious, rober?  Was the queen on the comb underneath the screened bottom board?

Offline rober

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Re: and for something completely different
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2020, 07:31:56 pm »
never saw her. when i checked the hive 2 days later it had been robbed into oblivion. 2 cups of bees & no queen. i shook them out in the apiary hoping the girls might beg their way into other hives.