Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees => Topic started by: rober on June 22, 2015, 12:55:22 pm
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I've had a record year for catching swarms. after winter losses I was down to 4 hives. I'm now at 17. I also still have 4 removals booked so I'm going to refer any new swarm calls to someone else for the rest of the season. I've had to buy frames & foundation & build more brood boxes, supers, inner & outer covers & bottom boards. We've had a lot of rain so the flow has been spotty so I'm feeding several hives to help the bees draw out comb. the flow typically shuts down here by July so any more swarms will likely need to be fed. even with a source for .10 per pound sugar the time required for feeding adds up fast. I just turned down an easy removal. a limb with a hive in it fell in a recent storm. if it had been closer to home I'd have been tempted. I'm thinking that by the time I'm done with removals I should end up at 20 hives.
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Sounds like ypu're suffering from "too much of a good thing".
Now we hope that the follow up is a bumper crop of honey. Can't get too much of that :no:----or can you? :-\
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Amazing number! Congratulations! I hope you are able to winter these better.
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several swarms & removals were combined because they were small &/or queenless or I'd be at at least 20 hives. I really like catching swarms so it's hard to say no but I am maxed out. I just combined a swarm that had a queen with a small queenless swarm. if that queen starts laying i'll combine it with a queenless hive. that'll save me from having to build some more brood boxes.
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Wow, you have had quite a season....you will busy all summer! Let's hope they all make it though the winter.