Author Topic: 1st swarm, first swarm captured ...... Now what? (Read 8072 times)

J-grow · « **on:** June 08, 2016, 09:13:40 pm »

Ok it was an interesting day for me today. I went out in my yard to check out my lychee tree at around 7:30am ( it has had some bugs on it that I have been trying to kill ) and then went back out 1 hour later and there was a giant swarm hanging from one of the limbs!!

I got very lucky and found it literally within minutes of them leaving the hive

I called the guy that has been mentoring me and he came over and we captured the entire swarm and put it in a new brood box with 10 frames of waxed plastic foundation and all has calmed down.

We then inspected the two hives that are at my house and discovered that the one that swarmed was out of space and the super was almost full of capped honey ...... Maybe 80%. It had one queen cell in the middle of one of the frames

The other existing hive was boiling over with bees when we opened it and also had one queen cell that we accidentally crushed. It appeared this hive was near swarming also so we added a 2ND brood chamber and closed it back up

Soooooo my questions are

1. The giant swarm that we captured has the original queen from the one hive ........ Can she and those bees survive and build out the new hive with only the waxed foundation .......no comb, brood, nectar,? They must be able to right? They start from scratch in the wild .....

2. In the old hive they left I am hoping that queen emerges from that cell and does her flight and comes back happy right? ....... When do I do a check for her and when do I know if things are not going well and what then?

3. In the other original hive that was overcrowded and about to swarm if we added another deep and provided them more space and the superseedure cell was destroyed will they all get back to work or will she still leave and take some friends?

Thanks for your help!

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** June 08, 2016, 09:51:38 pm »

There's something unusual in your story. Most swarms leave 5, 10, or even 20 queen cells. Seldom, if ever, just one. It sounds like the swarm came to your yard from a neighbor's hive. Your hives may be superceding, or replacing their queen.

If you want more hives, I would make splits. If not, I would add a box to the other one also, then move the non-brood frames to the top box other than the 2 outer frames. One on each side. Fill in with empty frames for her to lay in. Adding another box will not help if she has no empty cells to lay in in the brood nest. No cells to lay in means she WILL swarm.

Yes, the swarm can feed themselves and survive, but they can grow much faster if you will feed them some sugar water, mixed in equal amount. IE: One pint water, 1 pint sugar.

PS. Welcome to the forum.

J-grow · « **Reply #2 on:** June 08, 2016, 10:04:12 pm »

Thanks for the welcome!

So if I move some frames up into the new box I added and put empty frames with only cell rite foundation down in the brood chamber to replace them can they build out comb on it quick enough for her to lay in and get her to stay?

Thanks again

iddee · « **Reply #3 on:** June 08, 2016, 10:47:46 pm »

You never know, but it will be better than having her honey bound. Drawn comb would be better, but having no room would be many times worse. If it's the best you can do, then you just have to try.

kebee · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2016, 06:39:37 am »

Welcome J-grow to the forum, hope you enjoy it here and good luck with the swarm.

Ken

Perry · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2016, 06:44:01 am »

to the forum.
Iddee is correct, 1 queen cell does not indicate a swarming situation.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #6 on:** June 09, 2016, 11:07:17 am »

Agreed, and I would add that adding another box will not stop a swarm from happening once they have built swarm cells. If/when, you find a swarm cell, you artificially swarm them in hopes of keeping them. (provided the queen and half the bees are not already gone!)
An additional box will HELP if given before they decide to swarm. It will prolong the time you have before they make that decision.

J-grow · « **Reply #7 on:** June 09, 2016, 05:25:27 pm »

Ok thanks again!

My saga continues ............ The new hive with no drawn out come that I put the captured swarm in is acting very very unsettled. There is a wide swirl of bees just circling around and around the hive. They are going to leave it Aren't they?! ........ Is there anything I can do to make lemon aid out of all this?

iddee · « **Reply #8 on:** June 09, 2016, 05:35:35 pm »

They are orienting to the hive. Probably means they are going to stay. When they leave, it takes about 1 1/2 minutes to empty the box.

J-grow · « **Reply #9 on:** June 09, 2016, 05:39:42 pm »

That's a relief! I guess I should quit assuming the worst AND more importantly quick acting like I have a clue!! ....... Thanks very much I will let you guys know how things play out.

Perry · « **Reply #10 on:** June 09, 2016, 09:26:34 pm »

Your journey is just beginning, relax and enjoy!

J-grow · « **Reply #11 on:** June 09, 2016, 09:49:41 pm »

Thanx ...... I have so many questions I am going to drive ya'll nuts! I will work with the search button until I can't take it anymore.

iddee · « **Reply #12 on:** June 09, 2016, 10:08:19 pm »

You're too late.We are already there, so ask away.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2016, 07:25:56 pm »

Quote from: iddee on June 09, 2016, 10:08:19 pm

You're too late.We are already there, so ask away.

J-grow · « **Reply #14 on:** June 11, 2016, 05:05:17 pm »

Just an update ...... So far so good Iddee was right ( assuming this is usually the case : )

The swarm is still in the hive and coming and going and looking normal.

So when do I go into the hive the swarm came from and determine if they succeeded in producing their own queen and if she succeeded in her flight?

Also is it ok if I just lie to my friends and act like I knew what I was doing and tell them I performed a split?!!

apisbees · « **Reply #15 on:** June 11, 2016, 11:50:22 pm »

"Also is it ok if I just lie to my friends and act like I knew what I was doing and tell them I performed a split?!!"
But were your friends and we already know the truth. and your mentor also knows. What you have gained is great experience in managing swarms and swarmed hives.

J-grow · « **Reply #16 on:** June 12, 2016, 07:40:46 am »

Agreed! Thanks

riverbee · « **Reply #17 on:** June 13, 2016, 12:17:27 am »

j-grow..........

lol, iddee is ALWAYS right.............

driving us nuts? lol, not even close..........try again............

"Also is it ok if I just lie to my friends and act like I knew what I was doing and tell them I performed a split?!!""

.............

you could say you were flying by the seat of your pants and it just worked out..........

..............

there isn't anyone of us who hasn't done so......

and btw, like apis said we are your friends, and you did gain a great experience in managing swarms and swarmed hives......gotta love bees!

Perry · « **Reply #18 on:** June 13, 2016, 07:43:58 am »

I couldn't see eggs for weeks after I started with the bees, and my mentor was getting frustrated with me in that regards, so I started lying to keep things cool.

A few weeks later I spotted them on my own and it was like a bulb went off, I knew what I was looking for and at after that.

apisbees · « **Reply #19 on:** June 13, 2016, 11:30:42 am »

Part of finding eggs is knowing where to look. In the development of a bee with there being 4 times as many cells that are capped than what will have eggs in them. Fnd a frame with a capped area of brood in the center about 4-5 inches. Around the outside you should see larva, larger near the brood and getting smaller the further away from the capped brood. Next to the smallest of brood is where you will see the eggs. The ring of eggs may be only 3 to 5 cells wide on the frame.