Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Anonymous on August 14, 2004, 03:32:21 pm

Title: I Blew it!!!
Post by: Anonymous on August 14, 2004, 03:32:21 pm
Greetings,

I knew this could happen, but have neglected my inspection duties and...
I took a trip out of country and now that I've returned the hive has become overpopulated <2 deep, 1 super with capped comb> and the girls have swarmed off onto a tree <40 ft up!> I put a new super on  <too little, too late>.  

Is there ANY chance they might have second thoughts and return? The queen is probably with them, correct? Seems to be only half since there are still plenty in the hive.

This late in the year, the hive is probably doomed for the winter, right?
Advice please!

Thanks,
~SFP
 :x  :x  :x
ps. What should I look for when I do the 'post mortem' inspection?
Title: I Blew it!!!
Post by: Phoenix on August 14, 2004, 11:19:30 pm
Unless your queen was clipped, she is with them and no they won't return.  There is still plenty of time for the girls to build up again before winter sets in.
Title: I Blew it!!!
Post by: Anonymous on August 15, 2004, 09:59:06 am
Look for a new queen, eggs, larva and capped brood cells. If you see these things all is well in the hive and you probably will have that hive full of bee come winter and even into next spring if they are properly cared for in the getting ready for winter duties.

I even doubt that the swarm is still in the tree this morning. Let alone them changing their mind. A lesson learned but not to costly but there was the loss of a possiable second ??? colony.
 :D Al
Title: I Blew it!!!
Post by: monkeyfish on August 15, 2004, 10:14:00 am
Thanks for your feedback. This morning, even after heavy rain thru the night from Charley, they are still hanging on up there!

Yes, a lesson has been learned. 3 weeks ago when I last checked, super#1 was empty and had no comb. Now, wham! full of honey and the split.  I guess this kind of thing can happen rather quickly.

I'll look for queen cells and any other clues when I can get in there <still raining>.


Thanks,
~Scott
Title: I Blew it!!!
Post by: Robo on August 15, 2004, 10:29:08 am
Scott,

Don't expect to find eggs and young brood when you do your inspections.  Typically, they will put the queen on a "diet" prior to swarming to slim her down for flight.  She will stop laying during this period as well.  They also typically swarm before the queen cells hatch.  So you must wait for the queen cells to hatch and the virgin queens to mate.  This could take up to two weeks, especially with the rainy weather we have had here in the East.  My last batch of queens took 12 days from hatching to laying.
Title: treed bees
Post by: michael l burnett on August 15, 2004, 08:10:22 pm
know any climbing tree workers who like bees??? :?: