Once You Have Hived a Swarm?

Two Bees · April 12, 2009, 05:38:23 PM

Using a queen excluder between the screened bottom board and the deep box, how long should you leave the excluder in place to make sure that the swarm stays put?

I am making the assumption that some swarms have virgin queens and I don't want to prevent a her from taking her mating flight.

iddee · April 12, 2009, 07:36:41 PM

Remove on the third day.

Two Bees · April 12, 2009, 08:34:13 PM

Thanks, Iddee! I was glad to get this swarm to stay. It weighed about 4.5 pounds! Thanks for your advice from my earlier post.

RangerBrad · April 13, 2009, 12:09:22 AM

I thought the old queen normally left with the swarm. ?.?.

Cheryl · April 13, 2009, 12:17:05 AM

Quote from: RangerBrad on April 13, 2009, 12:09:22 AM
I thought the old queen normally left with the swarm. ?.?.

It depends on the swarm. Sometimes a few virgins go with the old queen. It varies a lot.

JP · April 13, 2009, 12:20:54 AM

All depends on the type of swarm. Could be a primary swarm or an abscond which usually has a mated queen.

After swarms are smaller ones with a virgin/virgins.

...JP

RangerBrad · April 13, 2009, 12:33:49 AM

Thank's for setting me straight folk's. I have no bees at this time but, am getting my first 2 packages next week so all the info I'm getting is from books and web sites. Brad

JP · April 13, 2009, 12:45:00 AM

You are quite welcome Brad. Yes, you could catch a swarm that has a virgin queen.

You want her to be able to leave and mate but you don't want to lose the entire colony either. This is where a queen excluder comes in handy.

Usually after a swarm caught colony has been boxed for 2-3 days, chances are they're staying for good.

...JP

Two Bees · April 13, 2009, 04:36:30 PM

Thanks, JP! My swarm has been boxed for almost two days now. I will remove the excluder tomorrow since the weather is not that great today. I lost a swarm last Thursday after I got them boxed and was real bummed. Didn't want the same thing to happen to this swarm!

SgtMaj · April 14, 2009, 04:12:47 AM

I guessed, and guessed right that my swarm was a primary swarm (based mostly on timing, it came very early in the season, plus it was a decent size (not giant by any stretch but a good average size), and I also bet that an afterswarm would've been smaller)... so I left my excluder on for a whole week (though a good part of my reasoning for leaving it on so long was how cold it was earlier in the week).

Swarm Master (formerly, and possibly still known as JP) might have some tips on how to tell if the swarm is a primary or after swarm.

Two Bees · April 14, 2009, 04:28:58 PM

I plan on removing my excluder late this afternoon, weather permitting. They are expecting some serious thunderstorms tonight in NC! So that will make 3 days since I hived the swarm. Then, it's off to the monthly beekeeping meeting!