New swarms are doing good!

[harvey]

Two weeks ago put two swarms in Dadent deeps on Foundationless frames.  Last week I put another swarm in a deep but didn't check it today.  I also have three other hives, one from a nuc and two from three pound packages.  These three were started three weeks earlier than the swarms.  The two swarms I checked both have open larva and capped brood!  One is ready for a second box and the other will be in as soon as the capped brood starts to hatch,  They have both outdone the packages so far.  The nuc is a little bit ahead of the rest but not much.  I think maybe the swarms are doing better than the packages cause the swarms are from the area verses the packages are not?   Brought home a bait hive last night that was full of bees two days ago.  Looked like a pretty good size swarm.  This morning when I opened the bait hive to move them into a real hive the box was empty.  It was raining last night with thunder and lightening so I couldn't tell then.  They must have not liked the bait hive enough and moved on.  I will put the bait hives out again this weekend!  One maybe two more, or three would be really nice.  Let them grow up for a year and maybe next year I will see some substancial surplus?

[D Coates]

Oh, that's how it starts... one or two more hives.  Next thing you know you've got a dozen and are planning for more.  Assuming your hives don't swarm next year and the weather is cooperative you can expect some surplus.  The swarming is key though.  If they swarm, you're usually watching the workfoce that was going to get you your surplus fly away.