Graham Road Swarm 9/4/16

[Jacobs]

This small swarm showed up around 5:00 p.m. I hived it. Then it appeared to be leaving but the bees came back, fanned, and appeared to bring more bees back to the nuc.

[Jacobs]

I boosted this hive with a frame of nurse bees and brood once I saw that the queen was laying. I marked the queen and have been using this swarm for my recent bee presentations. I don't know if the bees sense something wrong with the queen or the constant interruptions have influenced them, but there is now a capped queen cell in the nuc along with the queen, capped brood, some eggs and larvae.

[Jacobs]

Queen cells are gone and the marked queen remains in charge. The show bee's last trip was a week ago Friday night to the Greensboro Science Center for a presentation to a group of young folks having a sleep over event there. Weather will determine future appearances this presentation season, but these bees have earned their keep.

[Jacobs]

At my last check, this swarm had far less than a frame of bees. It looked like the nuc was being robbed yesterday, so I reduced the opening to allow 1 bee at a time in and out. I don't have a serious hope that these bees will make it through winter, but I will be curious to see how long it survives.

[Jacobs]

It was no surprise to find the 100+ bees in this nuc had starved after being robbed of stores. I have the frames of drawn comb in the freezer to protect them for use this spring.