Author Topic: Bees Bearding Three Weeks After Swarming (Read 4702 times)

Jen · « **on:** April 13, 2016, 04:10:52 pm »

Okay, I have an idea what this may be, just want to make sure, never seen this before. This has happened 2 days in a row, the temp is a cool 60 degrees, both days cloudy with some wind and rain.

This hive swarmed three weeks ago, could this be the virgin queens mating week? and the bees are giving her some space inside the hive? or maybe they have clustered around her on the outside?

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2016, 06:21:43 pm »

Either that or you have a screen bottom board and she tried to enter that way, and is now lost. I would try to scoop them up and put them on the porch or into the hive.

Jen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2016, 07:00:56 pm »

Update ~ both yesterday and today when the bearding happened, it only lasted for about 2 hours. They are all back in the hive now, same both days. If they are all in the hive now, that means they must be getting her in there.

Just got back in, took a flashlight and scanned the area under the screen board and drawer, no bees or queen under there.

But take a look, this hive swarmed 3 weeks ago, and it looks like it stuffed with bees again. Geez Louise!

apisbees · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2016, 07:29:51 pm »

Jen, 2 medium brood chambers and a queen excluder? You do not have enough space for the queen to lay. with an aggressive laying queen that setup will swarm again.
Back in 1852Langstroth figured out the bee space the the hive size requirements for keeping bees in north America 2-10 frame supers for the brood this aloud the space that the queen needed to be successful in being unrestricted in her egg laying. by the time the bees have their honey and pollen cap and reserve it leaves 10 to 12 frames to lay in When you drop sown to mediums you need to add the extra super to the brood chamber to keep the girls content.
Swarmed 3 weeks ago mated and laying 10 days after that so she should have been laying for the last 10 days by now she is approaching the end of her laying space with only 2 med brood supers. If they are plugged with pollen and nectar she may be out of room.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2016, 10:39:19 pm »

Like apis said, myself, i have 3 different hive set ups. 3 med. supers, or 1 med super with 1 deep, or 2 deeps. for the brood boxes. I like 2 deeps the best, but sometime's the girls make me do it there way. In the end though they will wind up in two deeps because u out fox them.

Jack

Jen · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2016, 11:56:05 pm »

"Swarmed 3 weeks ago mated and laying 10 days after that so she should have been laying for the last 10 days by now she is approaching the end of her laying space with only 2 med brood supers. If they are plugged with pollen and nectar she may be out of room."

Okay Apis, I thought I was ahead of this hive 3 weeks ago because I made nucs out of the queen cells, which took out 5 frames (or was it 6) and I replaced with 5 (or was it 6) frames of foundation, some had pulled wax, checkerboarded.

We have a cold spell right now with high winds and rain, maybe snow. Friday supposed to be warm again. I'll get another med on Fri

apisbees · « **Reply #6 on:** April 14, 2016, 12:54:46 am »

Check and watch it but be aware of how fast the population can expand and for them to run out of room and become crowded.

Jen · « **Reply #7 on:** April 14, 2016, 01:03:09 am »

Will do

Jen · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2016, 03:07:52 pm »

Hey Apis! A swarm ensued just now, however about 5 minutes before they tried to hit the sky it was raining, hailing, and windy and all get out. So, they rushed out, hit the skids, and rushed back. Thinking they will try again to hit the sky today.

Just occured to me, that maybe the queen can't take flight? maybe she can't fly for some reason. they been trying for 3 days now.

Oh Well, I've got queen cells in there to work with now.

tbonekel · « **Reply #9 on:** April 14, 2016, 03:56:17 pm »

Jen, your stories and pictures reminds me of when you add mentos to diet coke. Your bees explode!!

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2016, 08:26:22 pm »

Jen, that is Her ,in middle of pic ? ?

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2016, 08:48:50 pm »

Thanks Jen for posting, makes me wonder if there has to be a DCA ,we've got standard Georgia bees ,that make alot of drones, feral's don't seem to, we are wondering if we have to have a DCA ??

Jen · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2016, 08:54:06 pm »

Mikey, which pic? I have three of them up? and what is a DCA?

Tbone, Whaaat? I thought everyone's bees exploded!?

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2016, 09:41:13 pm »

Just looked at pics, was looking on phone, what I thought I seen ,was a bee in flight, DCA as far as I know is a drone congregation area (?) Spelling ,where queens go.

Jen · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2016, 11:57:15 pm »

Mikey, I see... It is my learning to this point that Yes, the queens need to go to the congregation of drones, in the sky, in order to mate. I'm not sure of any other way for her to get mated properly. She can mate with several or a whole lot of drones during her nuptual week.

Jen · « **Reply #15 on:** April 15, 2016, 01:25:23 pm »

This hive swarmed 3 weeks ago, I should have had three meds on after the swarm. That said, 3 days ago this hive bearded, and then it tried to swarm yesterday again. Curious to me why they would try and swarm when it was raining, hailing, with gales of wind... however, they did attempt. The weather is calmer today so I know they will attempt to swarm again. So I put up an additional swarm trap further away from my house to see if I can catch them, I have two swarm traps up on the bank now.

bearding three days ago

attempted swarm and return to hive box yesterday

Crossing fingers

UPDATE ~ 12:15, bees hit the sky as predicted. But they came back down and went back to the hive again.

Day 1 they bearded
Day 2 they bearded
Day 3 Attempted swarm went back to hive
Day 4 Today ~ Attempted swarm again, went back to hive.

Starting to think what Iddee was suggesting in that some thing is eschew with the queen. I'm Goin In!

UPDATE AGAIN ~ 3:00 Full Inspection Results

No Eggs
6-7 Nice Queen Cells Along Bottom Of Frames
Too Many Drones, but not an over load just yet
Couldn't Find Queen, Laying Room In Bottom Med
Starting To Get Backfilled

SUM UP

I added a third med to right the hive. Bees are bringing in plenty of nectar in the top super.

It's obvious there is no queen because the bees have returned 2 times from swarming. There is also empty laying room in the bottom med. I have a queen I could put in there, but there are 6-7 big ripe queen cells. I could take all those queen cells out and add a new queen, but I think that is a Big No No!

They are in definate swarm mode, when the queens hatch, they could swarm and take a virgin with them.

This would be this hives second swarm, sure don't want to loose that many bees in this hive. But that just might be the case $:-\$ \

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #16 on:** April 15, 2016, 08:56:08 pm »

Makes me wonder if what you are seeing is the queen leaving on mating flights? Was she delayed because of bad weather? Do you have more queen cells in that hive?

Jen · « **Reply #17 on:** April 15, 2016, 09:19:26 pm »

Interesting you mention that Scott. While watching this happen the last 4 days I remembered you asking this same question during my 'swarming episode' four years ago. I was still pondering this until I got into the hive today. Yes! there are 6-7 large queen cells.

If the hive swarmed 3 plus weeks ago, the timing is right for a new hatch queen to go on mating flights. If so, why didn't she sting the other cells BEFORE nuptials?

Also, if it is a queen on mating flights, that would explain 'no eggs'

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #18 on:** April 15, 2016, 09:35:58 pm »

So... wait, they swarmed three weeks ago, and today you find queen cells, that are un emerged? But no other eggs in the hive?

Jen · « **Reply #19 on:** April 15, 2016, 09:37:54 pm »

Yup! I sure hope you are as confused as I am ~