SWARM COUNT.

[GLOCK]

So how many swarms did everyone have ?
I had 10  this year and only hived 3  that stayed lost 2 and the rest went out to stock the surrounding woods.
My SPM was a D- this year but that's ok I'm out of box's and brood frames {4.9} .and have 32 healthy hive's going in to fall yay!
I  wonder how many swarms get way I don't even know happen.
2 queen swarm

I have had a great year and hope everyone else has to.

[Perry]

Hey Glock.
This was the year of the swarms for me, both lost and caught. Never seen anything like it in all the years I've been keeping.

[Bakersdozen]

I didn't have any colonies swarm.  I didn't go chase any either.  I don't have the equipment necessary nor the free schedule to drop everything and go.

[Gypsi]

I lost 2 swarms that I didn't catch, but one hive's young virgin returned mated so I set her a hive back up. I caught a beautiful 6 lb swarm that took off on day 3 after I opened the front door on I  the hive and I never saw again.  And so far I have not lost any autumn swarms.   I sold a full size hive to go back down to 1 hive went to 2 when the queen came back and huddled on her old frames still on the hive stand, went to 3 from a cutout and 4 from a split. will be back down to 3 going into winter I think

[Jen]

10 swarms in 5 weeks this last spring. All of them caught but one, it was an abscond and I ran after it all the way down the street in my jammies, I swear to Gawd! I let the last two swarms go to a friend, the bees were gone the next day. So that left me with 7 swarms that stayed and gave me three more hive. I now have 4. And I got honey this year Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!

[Lburou]

My mating NUCs swarmed three times, no known swarms from mature hives (successfully used a kind of checkerboarding in March).  One softball sized swarm had two of my marked queens in it (one loose and one held in a ball).  I learned that I was not feeding them enough, something that will cause them to swarm.  How marked queens from two different mating NUCs got in one swarm I'll never know.  It may have something to do with several baseball sized swarms usurping my mating NUCs.

[Jen]

Lou- "I learned that I was not feeding them enough, something that will cause them to swarm. 

     What kind of feeding are you refering to Lou? Sugar syrup?

      And I see that you are in Texas, so is your climate colder than ours here in upper Calif

      Because I started feeding in Feb I think, winter patties, and my bees swarmed all over the place.

[Lburou]

Jen, it is something unique to mating NUCs.  They swarm easily if crowded or if you are not feeding a trickle of sugar water.  I'm just learning.   

P.S.
The record low in this area is -10 F, in growing zone 7.

[Jen]

What kind of bees do you raise Lou?

[GLOCK]

I have to say all but 1 of my swarms where from my nuc's  . nuc's swarm fast if your not on top of things.
\

[Lburou]

Jen, I've had Bweaver primarily, they are really good honey producers.  This year, in an attempt to have calmer bees, I bought a VP Breeder queen.  Those are the ones I have in mating NUCs now. 

Lee

[Jen]

Lou, I see, I'm cautious about assertive bees because my hives are right in my backyard and my grands come to visit. I think I'll stick with my mutts