Author Topic: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms  (Read 3025 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline litefoot

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 95
  • Thanked: 2 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Utah, USA
Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« on: May 03, 2014, 11:38:04 am »
Well my lack of attention this Spring has been rewarded with a couple of swarms in my yard. I'll talk more about all that on another post. Here's what a really want to ask: Looks like I need to shake out a laying worker colony and then I thought I would take a frame with some swarm cells out of another hive and place them in this hive to requeen it. Good idea, bad idea? Or would I be better off introducing a frame of eggs.

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6150
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #1 on: May 03, 2014, 11:52:52 am »
If you have them available, I would add both, but not shake them out. If I shake one out, I put the hive away and force them to take up with other hives.
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #2 on: May 03, 2014, 07:52:38 pm »
Tefer mentioned in another thread putting the laying worker hive above a queen right hive with a double screen bottom board between them..   It is a great idea.
   The general consensus of others I have discussed this with, and it has also been mentioned here before... is to add a frame of brood..  wait a week, and then either add another frame of brood or try introducing a queen..  they will in theory raise their own queen or be ready to accept a new queen/cell because the first frame of brood.. OR.. the smell of pheromone from the brood in the queen right hive will suppress the laying workers..

   I really like the screen between idea, but am thinking that frame of brood will strengthen the laying worker hive...
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline rcannon

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 423
  • Thanked: 18 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Ft White, Fll
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2014, 08:38:37 pm »
I really don't get the concept of shaking out a laying worker hive. It certainly hasn't worked for me and I just don't see how it could. They're workers, they can fly right back in. What's to stop them?
I introduce a queen just like I normally would, I just don't pull the cork for a few days. I give them a little longer time to get used to the queen, the I pull the candy end cork and let the bees release her in their own time. It hasn't failed me yet.

Offline LazyBkpr

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6842
  • Thanked: 205 times
  • Gender: Male
  • www.outyard.net
    • The Outyard
  • Location: Richland Iowa
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2014, 09:17:38 pm »
How can they fly right back in if the hive is gone?
   The concept of shaking them out is to make those who can pick a new (Queen right) hive to support.
Drinking RUM before noon makes you a PIRATE not an alcoholic!

*Sponsor*

Offline Bamabww

  • Senior Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 343
  • Thanked: 4 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Moulton, Alabama in the Fairfield community
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2014, 10:39:20 pm »
If you have them available, I would add both, but not shake them out. If I shake one out, I put the hive away and force them to take up with other hives.

Wow! Good idea, thanks for sharing that info Iddee.
Wayne

Offline litefoot

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 95
  • Thanked: 2 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Utah, USA
Re: Whew! 2 days, 3 swarms
« Reply #6 on: May 04, 2014, 12:10:46 am »
Well, I introduced eggs into the hive in question a while ago and got one queen cell, but no sign of the queen (i.e. brood) for a long time until a couple of days when a quick inspection revealed a couple of patches of drone brood. I feared the worst, but in hindsight I should not have fretted so much since the drone brood patterns were tight. Anyway, today, I found worker brood so all is well. Thanks to all who responded. Really good ideas. Thanks!