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Author Topic: I dropped the the ball on swarm control  (Read 3493 times)

Offline Joe D

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Re: I dropped the the ball on swarm control
« Reply #20 on: April 26, 2013, 10:41:30 pm »
Last year in one week, I had three hive, I caught 7 swarms, I was out of boxs before I was out of swarms.  Called other beeks to come and get em.  This year I caught one swarm Sunday, don't think it was from mine.  A lady called this morning said there was a swarm in her yard.  Got there they were about four feet high in a plum tree.  Got a box and they were gone.  Got home and had a hive swarming.  they landed in a pine tree about 40 feet high.  They stayed there about an hour and were gone also.  Missed two swarms in one day.  Looks like a lot of us are having the same trouble.


Joe

Offline RHBee

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Re: I dropped the the ball on swarm control
« Reply #21 on: April 26, 2013, 11:30:58 pm »
I'm not real sure I want my yard to grow anymore this year. During inspection I have started removing Queen cells. I don't know if that will stop them from swarming or not. Yesterday I cut out 10 from 3 different colonies. I don't need a lot more colonies I need their size to be bigger. I would really like to increase their honey production.
I can make splits and requeen my hives this fall.
Later,
Ray

Offline Kathyp

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Re: I dropped the the ball on swarm control
« Reply #22 on: April 27, 2013, 12:48:13 am »
Quote
During inspection I have started removing Queen cells.

be really careful because removing the cells won't keep them from swarming, but it can leave your hives queenless.  you'll need to keep a close eye on them and you may end up buying queens if they swarm.
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline sterling

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Re: I dropped the the ball on swarm control
« Reply #23 on: April 27, 2013, 12:15:10 pm »
I'm not real sure I want my yard to grow anymore this year. During inspection I have started removing Queen cells. I don't know if that will stop them from swarming or not. Yesterday I cut out 10 from 3 different colonies. I don't need a lot more colonies I need their size to be bigger. I would really like to increase their honey production.
I can make splits and requeen my hives this fall.
Just a thought:

Split them with their queen cells to keep them from swarming. Let the new queens build up some  then put em back together after they have gotten over the urge to swarm. You will have extra queens when you put them back together you can give or sell to someone who needs a queen. And you will have a big hive to make honey.

Offline minz

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Re: I dropped the the ball on swarm control
« Reply #24 on: April 28, 2013, 09:16:42 pm »
Hive swarmed, now evil! Any idea how long for them to chill out? Should I break the hive in half (if so what do I do with the super).
Double deep with ½ full super of honey I believe swarmed yesterday.  15 degrees above normal for a week during apple blossom,  things are booming here.  I stole some brood from it last week and again this week to open the brood nest.  Today I figured I would open it up and harvest queen cells and split to mating nucs any doubles and they drove me back in unbelievable fashion as soon as I pulled the super.  I put the smoke to them to put the super back on, again they drove me back with multiple stings through my pants and in my coat. 
Just hope I did not steal their only QC yesterday! If so what do I do?  At home I am down to 5 hives, the only one queen right is a dink.  I keep moving my nice hives to other yards 10 + miles away. 
Poor decisions make the best stories.