will a swarm produce honey

[Bee Whisper82]

Hey,
     I have a question I am new to beekeeping and I have 3 hives this year that my father-in-law caught for me and I was wondering will a swarm produce honey and how much and if any when to check. Is it alright to check every week or check every 2 weeks. Any advice or ideas please. :bee:

[patook]

A swarm will act a lot like a package of bees. They are going to need to first draw comb and start laying brood. Much depends on the size of the swarm and where you live (your profile says you are lost). However, unless you have a lot of bees and a strong fall flow, I would think it would be unlikely to get honey off a swarm this season. Feeding them will help them draw out comb and give them a head start. So would giving them comb and/or brood.

[bailey]

any hive that i can get before july and that has a good queen  can have a super of honey in the fall.
we get a good fall flow as long as we get a little rain. but i live in the south part of louisiana.
we can wear shorts in november quite often.

bailey

[Brian D. Bray]

The general rule of thumb is not to expect a honey crop for the beekeeper the first year.  The 1st year should be spent getting to know the bees a bit and attempting to insure that they have sufficient honey stores to survive winter.

But with that said, it is possible to get a honey crop the 1st year if it is a large swarm or package, if fed syrup to help build combs but not enough to make them backfill the broodchamber and cause them to swarm.  A good heavy honey flow can make a difference as can the proliferation of the queen, more brood makes more bees which makes more honey.

[Bee Whisper82]

How much honey do the girls need to survive the winter some say 60 to 70lb. but really how much?

[NasalSponge]

That depends again on location, type of bees, and weather. Russians go into winter with smaller clusters and therefore use less stores whereas Italians go into winter with lots-o-bees and eat alot more.

[Bee Whisper82]

If I put a pic on here is there any way that you could tell me what type of bees I have.  I live in southwest of Virginia and sometimes it gets down to single digits here during the winter.

[Brian D. Bray]

It gets down to single digits here in the PNW as well.  Speaking Italians, as that is what most recommondations are based on because they were so widely used for so long. 
For overwintering the conventional wisdom is 70-80 lbs of honey stored in the brood boxes (I have 3 mediums).  I  prefer to have my bees go into winter in a honey bound condition and showing some burr combs between the boxes of frames. 
With Russians and Carnies I think 50-60 lbs will accomplish the same survival rate as 70-80 does for Italians.  I've over wintered both in a double stacked 5 frame medium nuc without trouble.

[CBEE]

I hope mine does  :-D