Don't leave me baby !!

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 04:14:56 PM

Are they wanting to leave? I posted the other day about the swarm I got from the tree. I put them in a nuc box with a queen excluder. Today it looks like all of those bees (or at least the biggest portion of them) are on the front and side of the nuc box. Also a lot of them are doing the "waggle dance". Are they wanting to swarm again and waiting on the Queen to come out or what? It's not real hot today. And overcast outside. I wouldn't think there just hot. What are your thoughts? Thanks.

Michael Bush · July 10, 2017, 05:36:19 PM

Bees beard on hot days. It is possible they are going to abscond, but if they have stayed long enough to rear some open brood they will probably stay.

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 05:55:10 PM

Thank you Michael. Do you think they will leave without the queen? Was using the excluder a good idea? This nuc is beside 2 other nucs with a larger number of bees and they are the only ones doing it. The other bees just have a small number (5-10) of what I guess are guard bees and then bees coming and going like normal.

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 08:22:14 PM

Alright, so I went into that nuc. There were literally 25-50 bees inside it, and the rest of them were clustered on the front of the nuc box and have been there all day long. Inside the box was also the queen. Big ole fat girl. She obviously can't get to the cluster because of the Queen excluder. Will they ever give up and go inside and start building comb? Or are they just going to sit there on the front of the box waiting on the queen forever? If that's the cast id rather just let her out and let them fly off.

BeeMaster2 · July 10, 2017, 08:35:53 PM

Fish,
Is there any drawn comb that the queen can start laying in. This would give the bees larvae to take care of and anchor to.
Jim

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 08:42:04 PM

I just now rubber banded 2 medium sized Combs, into deep frames and was going to take them out there. And decided to check for any replies from y'all first. Thanks!!

BeeMaster2 · July 10, 2017, 08:51:34 PM

Since she is nice and large, meaning she is mated, I would leave the excluder on for another week. I once left an excluder on the bottom of a hive for an entire season. I forgot I had put it there.
Jim

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 08:54:10 PM

Thanks saw dust.

BeeMaster2 · July 10, 2017, 08:58:00 PM

No problem. Take a look at the thread that I just started about my observation hive. You never know what bees will do and why.
Jim

iddee · July 10, 2017, 09:36:06 PM

Leave the excluder on. They are trying to leave and will only if the queen can get out. Keep her in there.

tycrnp · July 10, 2017, 09:52:08 PM

I have a queen excluder between my brood boxes and supers. Is it common to have one on the entrance also?

Fishing-Nut · July 10, 2017, 10:32:34 PM

Thank you folks for the advice. One last question.....in my experience with swarms they come full of honey and all the stuff they need to build comb fast. These bees haven't built anything in 2 days because I got them off of a limb, and they've been on the front of my nuc box for another day. Are they going to sit there like a bunch of dummies and use up all there resources, or will they still build up comb once they decide to commit to the nuc box. If that even ever happens. And saw dust I saw that thread and have been keeping an eye on it in case I can find any answers I need somewhere else.

cao · July 10, 2017, 11:35:22 PM

Quote from: tycrnp on July 10, 2017, 09:52:08 PM
Is it common to have one on the entrance also?

Typically only when you catch a swarm and don't want them to leave. As long as you keep the queen trapped inside the swarm will stay.

BeeMaster2 · July 11, 2017, 04:34:49 AM

Now that you added comb they should move back into the nuc. It may be that the scouts have already found a new site that they want to use. Hopefully once you have eggs they will move in.
Jim

eltalia · July 11, 2017, 06:38:40 AM

... what others have put, F-N.
And... after dusk fix a ready built screen over the entrance.
Give them a whole day to release them the next.
If they continue the behavior, add more stores and lock them
down again for three days.

Cheers.

Bill

Fishing-Nut · July 11, 2017, 08:56:26 AM

Heck they stayed on the outside of that nuc all night long.

Fishing-Nut · July 11, 2017, 12:50:28 PM

Well good news. It looks like they finally made the right decision and moved into the nuc box. They were all still on the front of the box very late last night. This morning only about half of them. And right now less than 50. I put a piece of drawn comb in there and I bet she started laying in it and made them do there jobs. Thank y'all for the much appreciated advice.

eltalia · July 12, 2017, 02:09:16 AM

Good one!!

For future reference?
Those bees are flyers, so working some smoke into them would have them land and
go inside. How much and how often is a judgement call on the day. Once started it
gets easier.
For visual tips on "how to"... take note of how JP Beeman works, he knows his stuff
that fella.

Cheers.

Bill

Michael Bush · July 12, 2017, 09:21:23 AM

>Do you think they will leave without the queen?

Probably not.

> Was using the excluder a good idea?

It is used as an "includer"? It probably won't hurt to leave it until they have some open brood. After that I would remove it so it doesn't clog up with dead drones.

Fishing-Nut · July 12, 2017, 11:27:47 AM

Michael our major flow is pretty much over here in GA. Do you think they used up all there resources while they were sitting there trying to outsmart me waiting on there queen, or will they still build up comb like I've seen swarms do when they arrive in a swarm trap.