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Author Topic: Strange Day! Help please!  (Read 5116 times)

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Offline Ziffa

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Strange Day! Help please!
« on: April 13, 2014, 01:50:27 pm »
So, the swarm we put in the new hive yesterday all left the hive and looked like they were swarming.  The queen was still in the catcher, but the bees all left.  I thought maybe she needed to get mated, so I released her (probably not the brightest idea, but didn't really know what to do - lack of patience for the loss  :sad:.)

They moved out, of course, but now the hives on the stand are acting really weird.  I am at a loss.

By the way - I already have my cold beverage.

In the pictures below, we moved the Grey-blue hive across the yard this morning and stuffed the entrance with leaves.  The yellow and white hive is the first split I did this year, where I saw the queen and moved her into this box with a couple of extra frames.  They've been there about a month or more and seemed to be doing fine. 

The bees are fanning on the stand in front of it.  I don't know what's happening! 

At this point, I'm pretty much thinking we have lost the swarm and i'm just going to hang out and see what the others do.  I thought it was going to be a good bee day but it is now partly cloudy and windy.   Don't think it will be a good idea to rile them up any more.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

a disappointed ziffa.   :'(






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Offline Jen

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #1 on: April 13, 2014, 02:18:36 pm »
Awe Ziff! I'm sorry, it's so hard when they just fly away. I'm just learning swarms myself. I do know that just this year, Scott/LazyBkpr helped me with these ideas to keep the swarm anchored for a couple of days.

1. Get the swarm into the hive, hopefully you will get the queen in there too.

2. Screen off the entrances for 2 days so that the bees have to stay with the queen, and will get real familiar with the queens scent. Don't worry their bellies are full of honey so they won't starve  :)

3. Get a frame of brood from another hive and insert into the hive box. This will make the nurse bees want to stay and take care of them.

4. Put a queen excluder between the bottom board and the bottom of the hive box for 4-5 days. That keeps the queen inside the hive, but lets the workers come and go and work the way they want to.

4. After 4-5 days, remove the queen excluder.

Now this is not a guarantee, but I do believe that this process really helped my swarm bees stay in their hives.

It's all about giving them something to stay for   ;) 8)

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There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline pistolpete

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2014, 02:41:45 pm »
The best thing to do is nothing.  The bees know best.   If the swarm was a prime swarm, then it should have had the old queen with it.   Sometimes swarms just don't like their new home.  I like your hive stand BTW. looks like you could park a truck on there no problem.
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Offline Jen

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #3 on: April 13, 2014, 02:48:32 pm »
Hi Pete :) In Ziffa's case she has more than one hive in her yard, so if this swarm didn't stay, she still has more hives left. In my case this year I had one hive, so I was wanted to keep these swarms so I can get 2-3 functioning hives before fall sets in. So far so good, but it was a lot of work. But I love it!  ;) 8)
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Offline Ziffa

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #4 on: April 13, 2014, 03:15:00 pm »
Hi guys,

Well, wonderful Iddee called and offered advice.  Jen you are exactly right.  Releasing the queen was a big no-no.  Unfortunately, I have this knee jerk - do-something-to-solve-the-problem issue (probably from my restaurant management days :( )  I garden, and now bee-keep to try and resolve that issue.  PATIENCE!!! Can you hurry up and get here!!?? :)

Hopefully she moved into the gray hive.  I may try to check later today if the weather holds.  If not, well, you win some you lose some and you always are learning. 

Iddee - thank you for the call.  You are THE. BEST.

Pistol Pete - thanks re the hive stand.  I'll pass that to my husband.  He's quite proud and i love them!  Makes working the hives soooo much easier!

love,
ziffa
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Offline Jen

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #5 on: April 13, 2014, 03:26:37 pm »
Crossing my fingers for ya Ziffa!  ;) 8)
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Offline Perry

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #6 on: April 13, 2014, 03:40:50 pm »
I can't remember who said it, but it was right on.
When it comes to beekeeping, "when in doubt.....do nothing".
Pete said it best. Bees have been doing alright for a million + years, without our help.
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Offline Slowmodem

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #7 on: April 13, 2014, 04:00:45 pm »
Quote from: Ziffa on April 13, 2014, 03:15:00 pm
Unfortunately, I have this knee jerk - do-something-to-solve-the-problem issue (probably from my restaurant management days :( )  I garden, and now bee-keep to try and resolve that issue.  PATIENCE!!! Can you hurry up and get here!!?? :)

That's why I'm not a doctor.  I don't have any patience!   ;D
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Offline Jen

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #8 on: April 13, 2014, 04:07:06 pm »
Perry- ""When it comes to beekeeping, "when in doubt.....do nothing".
Pete said it best. Bees have been doing alright for a million + years, without our help.""

I keep this advice tucked in my brain, and as time goes by I'm getting better and better at it. But beginners need to have that time to fuss and worry and check up on the bees. That's how they/we/me learn  ;) 8)
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Offline LazyBkpr

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Re: Strange Day! Help please!
« Reply #9 on: April 13, 2014, 05:41:30 pm »

   "There are no “shoulds” in beekeeping other than practicing good animal husbandry.  Bees only need a dry cavity, food (nectar, pollen, or syrup and pollen supplement if lacking from natural sources), and parasite management.  My basic rule is to not do anything unless you completely understand the reason that you are doing it!"   -- Randy Oliver
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