Ripley's believe it or not

Post by **Wally** » Fri Jun 10, 2005 3:21 pm

This afternoon I walked out on my back porch just in time to see the sky filled with bees. I watched until they started settling, I thought in my grapevine, until, on closer inspection, I discovered they had moved in with the swarm I caught in High Point yesterday. Since I had put a queen excluder between the bottom board and the hive body to keep the queen from leaving, I knew the swarm queen couldn't get in. I lifted the hive and picked up the excluder and sure enough, the swarm queen was right there. I set her on the entrance and she went right in. I have never heard of a swarm taking over an inhabited hive. I am just waiting now to see if one queen gets killed, the swarm leaves again, or it becomes a two queen hive.

Anyone with a past experience, ideas, notions, or other comments, please post. This has me completely baffeled.
Wally

Kurt Bower · Post by **Kurt Bower** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:11 am

Got to admit, it's the first time I have ever heard of it. Perhaps they were invited!
Keep us posted.

Post by **Wally** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:12 pm

Well, I got my answer. Both swarms left. I now have an empty box. So goes beekeeping.
Wally

Kurt Bower · Post by **Kurt Bower** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 5:07 am

SO many disappointments in beekeeping! So many things I still dont understand.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:08 am

How did the two queens get out if you had a queen excluder under the hive? Had you removed it?

Post by **Wally** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:34 pm

Yes, When I picked up the hive and removed it to find her, I set the box back down to reach for her. When she went in the hive, I didn't pick it up again. I just left the excluder off to keep from lifting the hive body again and disturbing them more. "A mistake." I would learn later.
Wally