My new package bees swarmed?

[FlexMedia.tv]

I have my bees at my cottage 45 minutes away but I just was sent a picture of them swarming. My hives are only 70 days old and I looked for Queen cells and never saw any...not that I'm sure what I'm looking for anyway but I've read where new package bees usually don't swarm. I have 2 breed boxes and just added another super. I want what is best for them so if they swarm then they do but darn it!

I'm going up to check for sure but I see a pic of a large clump of bees far up in a tree. Wish me luck and send some comments please.

Art

[GSF]

Good luck Art. It's not uncommon for that to happen, especially if they've been fed a lot. I caught upwards to 40 swarms this year, some of the latter swarms were cast out of the hives holding the first swarms.

Get a super, queen excluder, strap, towel, lid, at a minimum. Put the QE over the bottom board and under the bottom super. Shake them in it, throw the towel over the top and watch. The thick towel is a way to gently force them down between the frames. The QE keeps the queen in.

Watch for them marching into the entrance or poised there with their buts in the air fanning. If that happens you got her. If you got her you got them. The strap will help keep everything together. The QE will allow the bottom board and bottom super to separate extremely easy.

[FlexMedia.tv]

GSF,
I have most of that to capture them (never done I think) but I'm horribly afraid of heights! I thought I was doing a good thing by feeding them.

How long will they stay up in the tree?

[iddee]

Although it is possible, I would bet the swarm is not from your hive. Many times a swarm will go to another apiary. If you don't find queen cells, that is most likely what happened

[FlexMedia.tv]

Indeed,
Would you look at my video a few weeks ago? I don't think I saw any Queen cells:



I'm looking for some pictures I took a few days ago

[GSF]

Flex, if possible take a nylon string with some weight on the end of it, throw it up there and let the weight bring the other end down. Tie a frame with drawn brood comb, or better yet brood, pull it up there and see if they'll move on it. I tried that a couple of days ago and I be danged if they didn't line up, march, and cover it.

[FlexMedia.tv]

GSF,
I just got up here and they are gone! I'll look at them tonight when it's cooler but I'm wondering if it's my hives? The kids here said it was just a massive swarm. It hovered over my hive and went back to the tree. Stayed there for a long time, hovered and grouped again and left. I'm looking at my two hives and it looks like business as usual, but I can't tell. One hive still has not started filling the super I put on a few weeks ago and it doesn't consume much sugar water from the top feeder I just installed. The other is filling up the super very well and I still see them all around the feeder from the super I put on. I can't tell until later but they look like they are still there.

What is the possibility like the previous comment, that it was another hive? The amount of bees they described flying was almost double what I think I have? Would they still be going in and out if they swarmed?

[iddee]

NO massive swarm came from a 70 day old hive. They were not your bees.

[Oldbeavo]

A bit off topic, but a swarm in a high tree on a relatively thin branch can be caught. (Not suitable for suburban areas)
Put a hive with frames, lid off, below the swarm, take 12g shotgun with small shot and shoot the branch about 2 feet back from the swarm.
If they hit the ground close to the hive good, or move the hive quickly to the bees.
The bees are not as upset as I thought they would be and readily have marched into the box.

[FlexMedia.tv]

Iddee,
That is encouraging. I really do want them to do what is natural for them but I don't want them to leave! *grin!* I'm looking at them now and they are still going in and out. Just don't know yet!

[BeeMaster2]

Flex,
I have several swarms move into my traps, in my apiary, that I have watched come in from the west of me. They were not from my hives. They were so large that in two weeks time they filled 2 medium boxes of foundation less frames.
Jim

[FlexMedia.tv]

Jim, Iddee
Yes, from the Spectators here this was a huge swarm. Just out of control! That makes me think it's like your situation, Jim. Another swarm from another area. It wouldn't be the first time. A few years ago, before I was even interested in bees, a huge swarm came by and used the same hickory tree. I looked at them this evening and I still think both hives have all the bees. They are coming and going and the sound the same. I don't know! Still monitoring... And hoping.

[FlexMedia.tv]

Jim, Iddee
Yes, from the Spectators here this was a huge swarm. Just out of control! That makes me think it's like your situation, Jim. Another swarm from another area. It wouldn't be the first time. A few years ago, before I was even interested in bees, a huge swarm came by and used the same hickory tree. I looked at them this evening and I still think both hives have all the bees. They are coming and going and the sound the same. I don't know! Still monitoring... And hoping.

Looks like business as usual




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FlexMedia.tv]

Looks like business as usual


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BeeMaster2]

 

[FlexMedia.tv]

Ok... Just as we (type) another swarm just came by but didn't land. I took a picture but the reception is very weak here. Is this the swarming season by chance?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GSF]

NO massive swarm came from a 70 day old hive. They were not your bees. Great point Iddee,

Flex, it may be swarming season up in your neck of the woods. If you have it put out a couple of empty deeps. A big swarm needs a big place.

[FlexMedia.tv]

I think you are right! I keep seeing these things. I'm REALLY going to have to read up on capturing swarms if I'm going to try. Heck, I just figured out how to move my feeders!