Swarm dates for Qld

[max2]

I had another call for a swarm today.
It landed less then 5 m from the one I hived yesterday. This one is a big one - I only had a 5 frame nuc with me and they are shoulder to shoulder.
I have to put them into a bigger box ASAP

[BeeMaster2]

I hop you caged the queen. If not, they will probably leave.
Jim Altmiller

[max2]

In over 46 years of hiving swarms I have never yet seen the queen in a swarm.
I shake the swarm into a large garbage bin and then pour the lot into the hive.
I was on my knees ( again!) looking for the queen on the white sheet I placed under the swarm to collect any stranglers.
I have found that if I hive a swarm around mid-afternoon I have about an 80% success rate.
Here is hoping!

[Ben Framed]

Max I posted a topic back in May of this year titled "Dissecting a Swarm" Our friend OldBeavo suggested I might have to much time on my hands.  lol.

Just the same this procedure is fun and interesting when time allows. I thought you might be interested in case you missed it.   If you use the search engine simply type in "Dissecting  Swarm" The search engine does not accept single letter words such as (a).

Phillip

[max2]

I had a look at the article - interesting. I need a bit of time for this.
Meanwhile...I moved the swarm from Sunday into a 10 frame super. They had drawn most of the 5 frames

[max2]

A lady visited and told me she had " multiple swarms"  from the same hive - Witta area 4552

[Beelab]

Boxed a medium size swarm 2 days ago. They left on the same day.
Today had another medium sized swarm, and because bees were flying around it excitedly, I thought they are communicating something and I was waiting to see what they?ll do.

Mind you, it was 6.30am and 10C in a cold snap.
However, during the morning, they settled themselves in the box the other swarm had left, just 2m away from the mother hive. Lucky I didn?t have time to clear the box away.

I suspect one of my hives in that vicinity is throwing multiple swarms with virgin queens.
Reluctant to open it up, so not to disturb things.

In a primary big swarm, I always find the queen. Plus often a couple of virgins.
In subsequent virgin swarms, I hardly ever find the queen.

I once had a big swarm that divided to settle on separate branches on the same tree.

Isn?t swarm season exciting?
I was away up North Queensland a little longer than planned due to NSW lockdown. So my swarm control measures are a little behind for my 5 apiaries. Seeing the consequences now.

[max2]

27. August - Firts swarm here for the season. Nice one at Gavin's place - about 1.2m up on a fence post

[max2]

10.10 - a swarm near maleny ( in rainy, foggy weather)

11.10 - a nice swarm just up the road 770 Ahern's rd

[Stuart Coyle]

Yesterday afternoon had a swarm in Jindalee. Not my bees, probably the guy down the road.

[max2]

So much for a quiet morning!
It has been raining non stop, not heavy but lovely and wet....and i got  a swarm call.

Not a huge swarm but a reasonable size hanging off a barb wire fence behind Lantana  - soaking wet.

I had a bit of an issue getting a box under it but i think I got most of the bees.
We shall see later today on dark if got the queen or not.

[max2]

There have been reports of very large swarms.
It appears that they rain kept the bees in the hive and creating  accommodation issues.
Nice to catch a couple of these.

[max2]

24. Auguts - first swarm of the season.
August is our last wintermonth!!!
The temp has hit the mid 30's C. What is going on with the weather?

[max2]

4.September - i hear of swarms all over the place.
It appears some swarms may took off without queens or with virgin queens. They tend to go back to their home hive.

[BeeMaster2]

Max I used to watch closely as swarms were exiting the hive. On one occasion I saw and caught the queen. I had her in a queen catcher and put her in a Nuc. Only a couple of bees followed her. Turns out that the bees existed the hive to saturate the air and protect her maiden flight from the dragonflies and birds that waited in the main flight path above my apiary.
Jim Altmiller

[max2]

Hi Jim,
this is an interesting observation.
These returning swarms only seem to happen in early Spring here.

Yes, birds!
You tell me . I watch them sitting on a branch just waiting.

[max2]

Finally I have hived some swarms successfully.
We came across a very large swarm just on dark.
This was probably the easiest swarms to box for a while.
I'm getting messages from all over the place of swarms  - a very busy season.
It is raining right now and cooler  and it will be interesting to see how flowers ( and the bees) will respond.