I bought a hive 3 years ago, and we have caught a few swarms the last few years. The 1st swarm I caught this year seems to have Small Hive Bettles, so it is doubtful that it will survive. I have not had a good honey harvest in the last 3 years. I'm very disappointed!! It looks like we will not get any honey this year!! And two of my swarms looks like they will not make anything for Winter... Could it be the location? The May rains and now the dry weather!!
Just because you saw some small hive beetles does not mean they will not survive. I have small hive beetles virtually all of the time and my hives do fine. You do need to managed them though. IMHO, the best and easiest defense against SHB is full sun all day. A weak hive in the full sun still could get overrun but not until they have some honey and pollen. A swarm is not impacted much at all by the SHB.
There are alot of variables in regard to a honey harvest. This year has been bad for many due to weather. Other years, a swarm at the wrong time could virtually eliminate any surplus. Other times, the hive just may not have enough bees.
Also, keep in mind that starting from a swarm means that you are already on the back side of a significant part of the nector flow. This swarm has to make wax and that requires alot of nector and then it takes about 20 days for any brood to start hatching and by this time you may be out of the main spring flow completely.
You need to try to get through a winter with one of these swarms or get some package bees before the spring flow starts.
I agree. The SMB shouldnt impact your colony much. make sure they stay strong and if they become weak replace the queen to keep the SHB in check.
Well I checked three of my hives that had this years swarms, the hive that I know had a queen is empty!!
The other hive that had the Hive Beatles only has a small number of bees left. I still have one strong swarm in a hive that I caught this year. I'm very disappointed...
Then I think you might want to start combineing what's left !! :bee:
Bee-Bop
do you feed? do you have a heavy mite load? do they run out of space or have to much? seems maybe you are missing something and you'll have to figure out what it is. hopefully it's something simple.
Well I have 3 other hives that are doing well with the exception that honey harvest will be slim. One of the swarms that I know had a queen was a very small swarm, that I got out of a large bird house. I feed both hives, one I thought was doing good till the hive beatles hit... As far as I can tell the mite population is in check, I've had trouble with ants this year.
They do the best, both in general and against pests like SHB, in full sun.