Had a hive appear to swarm yesterday. Had a vacant hive set up near by. They seemed to be interested in the vacant box then retreated to the original hive. Is this normal? Will they probably swarm today?
Below is the Youtube address of a video of the hives.
Can't figure out how to attach the video to this post.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbGqp7OOeTE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbGqp7OOeTE
Swarm? Changed thier mind?
Re: Swarm? Changed thier mind?
Yes, they will go again today or tomorrow. I would go into it today and make a split.
From the size of it, I would also add a box to the new hive. They probably left it because it was too small.
Want to talk about different splits, my number is 336-302-2708.
From the size of it, I would also add a box to the new hive. They probably left it because it was too small.
Want to talk about different splits, my number is 336-302-2708.
Re: Swarm? Changed thier mind?
Swarms will return when the queen does not go with them. They will likely try again today. They usually won't occupy a hive next door, but sometimes will. At a minimum, I would put another super on the smaller hive and hope the bees have decided they like it. You might put a dot or two of lemongrass oil in the small (swarm lure) hive as well.
More likely, they will cluster somewhere nearby and look for a more distant permanent home. If you have some convenient lower branches of trees that will hold a swarm, you might try dotting lemongrass oil on a good spot on 1 or 2 of them. If you don't have lemongrass oil, lemon pledge or its equivalent lemon scented polish will do in a pinch. I would NOT use this in a hive/swarm lure. Even though folks say tanging (banging 2 pieces of metal together making a clanging sound) does not work, I like to stand at a branch that I have scented with lemongrass oil and tang if I see a cloud of bees going in the air. In a decent percentage of cases, the bees have come my direction and clustered fairly near where I had put the lemongrass.
I had a hive try to swarm 2 consecutive days last year. They came back both times because I happened to have the queen in a medium super with a queen excluder above her and below her. I was not doing this to prevent swarms, but to try and keep the queen from brooding up a deep super that I wanted to remove when all brood hatched. After the second attempt to swarm, Stadiem came over and helped me make a 3 way split. They did not swarm after this. If you can make a split or two this morning before they decide to go and move the queen into one of them, you may stop the swarming.
Maybe Wally will see this and have a better idea. He did see it.
More likely, they will cluster somewhere nearby and look for a more distant permanent home. If you have some convenient lower branches of trees that will hold a swarm, you might try dotting lemongrass oil on a good spot on 1 or 2 of them. If you don't have lemongrass oil, lemon pledge or its equivalent lemon scented polish will do in a pinch. I would NOT use this in a hive/swarm lure. Even though folks say tanging (banging 2 pieces of metal together making a clanging sound) does not work, I like to stand at a branch that I have scented with lemongrass oil and tang if I see a cloud of bees going in the air. In a decent percentage of cases, the bees have come my direction and clustered fairly near where I had put the lemongrass.
I had a hive try to swarm 2 consecutive days last year. They came back both times because I happened to have the queen in a medium super with a queen excluder above her and below her. I was not doing this to prevent swarms, but to try and keep the queen from brooding up a deep super that I wanted to remove when all brood hatched. After the second attempt to swarm, Stadiem came over and helped me make a 3 way split. They did not swarm after this. If you can make a split or two this morning before they decide to go and move the queen into one of them, you may stop the swarming.
Maybe Wally will see this and have a better idea. He did see it.
Last edited by Jacobs on Tue Mar 31, 2015 5:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Wally beat me to the punch.
Reason: Wally beat me to the punch.
Re: Swarm? Changed thier mind?
Thank you for the help.
I won't be able to split as I am on the way to Tampa.
Won't return until Friday.
Looks like nature is going to handle this one.
Thanks again to both of you.
I won't be able to split as I am on the way to Tampa.
Won't return until Friday.
Looks like nature is going to handle this one.
Thanks again to both of you.