You've possibly read on another thread I asked about combining on a horizontal Langstroth hive. Picked both swarm traps up Thursday evening and finally was able to do it this afternoon. Well...almost.
First hive I went to move in a had already peeked into Thursday morning before picking them up, they looked healthy and a reasonably strong hive for a colony that's been in its swarm trap longer than ideal, a little funny comb but nothing extreme. The other colony my friend had closed up the night before at dark and kept it closed Friday in the shade so I could pick it up early evening Friday. Started by moving them into the end of the hive with the entrance, set up my paper and frames, and placed my cover boards.
Step one finished I smoke swarm trap 2 and open it. This one had taken a tumble whenbits tree was knocked down last weekend in a storm, I expected to find a mess. Just not this mess. First off frames had been poorly spaced in the box so the comb was wonky to begin with. But there were piles of the stuff in the bottom. And a sickly sweet smell present. Nasty looking comb, brown and crumbly. Pulling frames I found pretty much nothing but nast comb, bees, beetles, and larvae. Scads of larvae. I must have crushed 75 or more larvae and probably 20-30 beetles. Still lots more hidden I'm sure.
No eggs, no brood, nearly no pollen or nectar. I think they likely absconded a few weeks ago and the bees that were in their were hatched out brood that were left behind. I scraped the frames clean (I'll give em back to my friend if he wants em), literally shoveled crumbly comb, larvae, and bees into the trash can before leaving the trap on top of the trash can in the sun. I'll get back to it in a couple hours when the frenzy dies down they're robbing whatever nectar they can find.
In the meantime here's a few of the pictures from the event.
A few more
Like I told a friend, you can't raise a garden and wait til November to buy a freezer. Beekeeping needs to be very timely.
I wish SHB had never touched this Continent. What a thorn in the side!! (That goes for Varroa Destructor as well)
Phillip
So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
:wink:
Quote from: Occam on June 30, 2023, 08:42:57 AM
So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.
:wink:
:cry: :cry: :cry:
Sad tears Reagan?
Quote from: Occam on June 30, 2023, 02:51:24 PM
Sad tears Reagan?
Hmm, I'd probably characterize Middle Earth-related tears as 50/50 happy/sad. In a good way. :happy:
I totally get that. Tolkien was a master at drawing one into his world
Hey don't feel too bad, I've had swarms in traps which I dealt with in a *timely* manner but were too sick to survive. That looks like what happened with yours: they arrived sick, built comb and populated it, died, and SHB teamed up with wax moths to clear the cavity for next year.
If you don't mind an opinion: check out Tom Seeley early research on how bees decide they like a cavity. Google "honey bee democracy" is a one-hour presentation. They measure the space. For that reason, I would never put plastic sheets of foundation in a swarm trap. A single frame of old comb in the middle, or maybe two in positions 2 and 4, with blanks all the rest.
The blanks let them know there's plenty of space here, unobstructed. The drawn comb let's the sweet lady get started right away. And you know that a swarm will draw worker sized cells just as fast as possible onto blank frames, especially right next to drown combs they'll be straight, naturally sized, only as contaminated as the feed of the place they came from. Did I mention they draw worker cells only until they're established? And that the wax is clean (as possible)?
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I never mind an opinion, it's always good to hear opinions and ideas. Great way to learn from. What work, what doesn't, and what may or may not. I do enjoy Seeley, I've watched some videos online with him in them. I'm interested in getting his book but I just ordered Hubers Observations and will read it first.
Quote from: Occam on July 01, 2023, 07:27:27 PM
I do enjoy Seeley, I've watched some videos online with him in them. I'm interested in getting his book but I just ordered Hubers Observations and will read it first.
I'm reading
Honeybee Democracy right now and thoroughly enjoying it. I also have
The Lives of Bees, which I found a little bit of a haul at times reading cover to cover, but I use it constantly for reference.
Quote from: The15thMember on July 01, 2023, 07:30:08 PM
Quote from: Occam on July 01, 2023, 07:27:27 PM
I do enjoy Seeley, I've watched some videos online with him in them. I'm interested in getting his book but I just ordered Hubers Observations and will read it first.
I'm reading Honeybee Democracy right now and thoroughly enjoying it. I also have The Lives of Bees, which I found a little bit of a haul at times reading cover to cover, but I use it constantly for reference.
Indeed, this book is an invaluable resource for beekeepers to better understand swarming, scouting and "what bees want" in a home...and much more. In my opinion, every beekeeper, new and experienced, should consider obtaining a copy or borrow it from your local library and read it.
Enjoy Huber's book. I collect old beekeeping books and love reading them and learning how our predecessors developed, evolved and approached things.
I just find id incredulous that anyone can even think they can catch a swarm, they dont know where it came from and introduce it into one of their yards. My opinion just like trapping feral hogs and putting them in your swine pen.