Will Splitting save my neighbors swarming bees???

Hemlock · April 14, 2011, 02:45:04 PM

The bees swarmed out but didnt go anywhere. Then went back in the hive. The neighbor is at work but I'm here. Will splitting the hive (4 - 8 frame- mediums) put an end to the swarming?
Thanks.

Finski · April 14, 2011, 03:27:22 PM

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No, not at all.

It is hurry to make false swarm.

move the hive 10 feet.

Then put a new hive on old site: into box 1-2 frame food. Between food frames brood frame and the rest foundation.

When the swarm returned, it has not laying queen - probably.

It is hurry to look too, are new queens ready to emerge. The swarm may suddenly escape.

Give to new hive a queen cell, if you do not find a queen.

.

annette · April 15, 2011, 02:15:39 AM

Last Spring a similar thing happened to me, except they flew to a tree and hung there for about 45 minutes, then they flew back into the hive. I took advantage of this and split the hive right away. They never swarmed out after that.

Helmuthd · April 15, 2011, 12:46:44 PM

My hive has been doing the exact same thing for the last 3 days now, they come out for a few hours, then go back in...usually between 2pm to 4pm. I just found this out yesterday when I heard them buzzing around... The neighbor told me this was the third day in a row... I'm gonna try reversing the brood boxes today, and perhaps put on a 3rd honey super. I've got 4 swarms traps out and ready! Yay for swarm season!!

annette · April 15, 2011, 01:43:55 PM

OK now wait a minute. This may very well be orientation flights that are happening and not a swarming. During orientation flights many bees come out and face the hive and move in sort of a round circle. Is this what is happening????

Kathyp · April 15, 2011, 02:03:00 PM

QuoteDuring orientation flights many bees come out and face the hive and move in sort of a round circle. Is this what is happening?

i think you might be right. if they were going to swarm, they'd come out all at once and take to the air...then return if they were going to. orientation flights, they crawl up the front of the hive (above) and fly in front of the hive.

that hive does look like it might be kind of packed.....a split might be in order anyway.

Hemlock · April 15, 2011, 03:21:26 PM

I was home for lunch and went out on the back deck to look at my bees. As soon as i walked outside i heard that Jet Engine sound of a swarm (a sound i became all to familiar with back in '08). I followed the sound to my neighbors hives. There the bees were flying in the typical manic sphere of Doom 20 feet across and pouring out of the one hive. I watched and waited to see where they would eventually perch; while calling the neighbor at work. They didn't go anywhere and all came back an landed on the outside of their hive. Even after they came to rest on the hive they continued to stampede in then gush out of the entrances. An hour later everyone had gone in for good. The hive then resumed regular daily activities.

So i think is was a false start to a swarm.

We split out the hive yesterday afternoon. The brood nest was opened up with drawn and undrawn frames and an undrawn wax foundation honey super was added. All the frames with swarm cells where pulled out (5). We search & searched for the queen but she was better at hiding then we were at seeking. All fingers are now crossed.

Kathyp · April 15, 2011, 03:25:59 PM

QuoteAll the frames with swarm cells where pulled out (5).

you used those for your split?

Hemlock · April 15, 2011, 03:34:21 PM

Quote from: kathyp on April 15, 2011, 03:25:59 PM
you used those for your split?

Yeah, all in one box. Each frame has a couple of cells on it. It doesn't sound right but i've little experience with swarm cells.

Kathyp · April 15, 2011, 03:57:16 PM

it should be ok. at least one of those cells should be good. to be on the safe side, you might want to stick some eggs in there. just be sure to check in a few days to verify the location of the old queen.

Hemlock · April 15, 2011, 04:10:43 PM

In looking for the queen we located several frames with what looked like fresh eggs, still standing up. At least 1 of then ended up in the nuc. Plus, i believe one of the swarm cell frames had some good looking eggs on it too.

We plan to inspect these hives on Sunday. Hopefully the original queen is still in the main hive and has started laying again. We'll see.

Thanks.

hardwood · April 15, 2011, 11:37:33 PM

Chances are that the queen already swarmed. You may have to recombine one of the splits with the original hive.

Swarms often issue before the swarm cells are "ripe" and taking away all of the swarm cells may leave the mother colony queenless. It is better to make one of the nucs with the original queen and create a false swarm.

Scott

annette · April 16, 2011, 12:36:28 AM

Well looking at that photo now I can see that it is not orientation flights. I have no idea what is going on with that hive, but I had a similar experience 2 weeks ago. The bees were all over the front of the hive and I also thought they were getting ready to swarm, but they never went anywhere. They never swarmed, no queen cells, no loss of population. I gave them lots of room.

Hemlock · April 16, 2011, 01:31:08 AM

hardwood,
We looked for the parent queen 'till it was dark outside. If the colony had already swarmed it's hard to tell. The hive was absolutely Packed with bees. There wasn't an empty spot anywhere.
We plan on checking again for the queen on Sunday. Saturday will be raining here. We made sure we left fresh eggs in the hive in case she's gone. That way they can make another one. OR, we could use one of the swarm cells if need be.

annette,
Yeah, it was a learning experience for the both of us. I think we got lucky and caught then in the nick of time, but only if they do not swarm now! Time will tell.