Late swarms in PA

[buzzbee]

Any one else in PA having late swarms?
Three weeks ago I had a swarm move into my observation hive. the last two Thursadys I've had a swarm in the pear tree in the yard.
Today I had a swarm passing through ,so I beat on a pan and they settled in a tree in the yard. I think I have them hived,but I'm getting short on equipment. I was really expecting them this late.
I guess it's time to head back to the bee catalog!! 

[Kathyp]

from your hives, or are you just very lucky?  :-D  teach me that trick so that i can save on gas!!!

[buzzbee]

I think one  may have been from mine,the others I really don't think so. The one today flew in from a different direction,although they could have left and came back.The bee numbers in my other hives are pretty strong. I've been making lots of bees this year though.

[BjornBee]

Ken,
Studies out of Cornell years ago, has shown strong impulses strictly from flow. This year, besides all the delay for many hives from colder and much rain, there is an abundant clover bloom still going. So we may have an increase based on a number of things.

In areas with strong fall flows, like where aster and goldenrod are abundant, up to 20% of yearly swarms are actually "fall swarms". Some have fancied ideas of "suicide swarms" and other ideas to explain why bees swarm in the late summer or fall, while for the most part...are getting it wrong.

The same studies out of Cornell, found a lack of fall swarming in areas void of a fall flow. The study focused on the northeast and even found a late fall swarm season in Florida based on a type of pepper plant that blooms.

Many beekeepers attribute swarming to the main idea of congestion. But research has shown that flow, as well as the age of queen and the hives desire to supercede and propagate, as just as strong, if not more, than ideas of congestion.

Many beekeepers have seen a new package, swarm after filling 5 frames of comb. Why? Due to instinct triggers of flow and propagation of species. Certainly could not be attributed to congestion.

That is why I also laugh when someone keeps suggestion that if you constantly under super such as with the Warre hive protocol, that ALL swarming will cease. Which is pure hogwash. First, if your only opening up a Warre hive once a season, you may never know if they swarmed. It may helped lessen the swarming urge, or the percentage that actually translates from congestion, but hardly dismisses clear research on the matter, which shows other factors as primary to congestion.

Overall, this season I have seen less swarming than other years. Maybe some of it is delayed. I also think that with as wet as it has been, we may see more late swarming than normal.

[buzzbee]

Well,
Hopefully we'll have good fall flows and i won't have to feed like a madman.The first two are laying like crazy.I have not checked number three for a laying queen yet as it's only been in the box four days.I'm not sure how many bees ended up in number four yet. I may have to put them in a nuc box if there is too few bees I guess.

[BjornBee]

BTW Ken,
Next time your running around banging on a pan in your yard, take a video....  :lau:  The mental picture I have of you is killing me.  :devilbanana:

[buzzbee]

What can I say,It worked!! :-D :-D

[p51]

Late swarms here in southern Michigan also.

[buzzbee]

How is the Catching going P51?

[p51]

The catching is going great, bought one hive this spring and now have a total of nine with the swarms trapouts and cut outs I've gathered. ran an add for honeybee removal and the phone rang off the hook.

[luvin honey]

p51--are you a first-year beek? That's incredible!

I had a hive swarm in late June. I split it and took some from a second hive to form a third. All 3 now have lots of queen cups and appear to be getting ready to swarm again. Yikes! I've been doing what I can to give them space, but maybe it's more along the lines of what Bjorn is saying--great flow.

[p51]

yes first year, have been very busy with the bees this summer.