One of my swarms up and went

craneman54 · May 17, 2015, 02:32:56 PM

Last Sunday I brought 2 trapped swarms home and set them up on my stand. These are my first good sized swarms. The only time I have been in these hives is to put more sugar water in the jars on the inner cover. All has been going well. Yesterday I installed 2 packages on the stand. No problems everything went better than I expected.
This morning I go just to see if they were flying around. The 2 packaged hive had a bunch of bees doing what I figured to be orientation flights.

Hive one had no bees flying but did have a few guard bees on the landing board.

Hive 2 had nothing going in or out and no guard bees. I went behind the hive and opened it up and there were no bees inside. I know there were flying around when I installed the packages yesterday evening.

Hive three one of the packages I installed yesterday.

Hive 4 the other package I installed yesterday.

All 4 hives had 1:1 sugar syrup in the top boxes.

What would cause the no.2 hive to just get up and go.

When I was putting the sugar water for hives 1 and 2 I did do my first check of the hive since last Sunday. They both had 1 frame almost completely drown out with several other frames having drown comb from just a small amount to about half a frame drawn. I saw no eggs or larva. There is some capped honey ,nectar but very little pollen.

Any suggestions as to what happened? Did I screw up again?

asprince · May 17, 2015, 04:59:30 PM

They were probably queenless and combined with one of your other hives. Or they did not like the new quarters for some reason. If you will place a frame of open brood in with them they will usually stay.

Steve

buzzbee · May 17, 2015, 06:10:27 PM

I agree with what Steve says. Perhaps queenless and may have moved in with one of your packages.

craneman54 · May 17, 2015, 06:55:20 PM

I guess I would have to go along with the queen less suggestion. They were in the hive for a full week and built what I think is a good amount of comb.

I called the man I bought the packages from and he is suppose to come look my hives over tomorrow and see what he can suggest.

Thanks for the advice.

I was under the impression that swarms had queens. Shows how much I know.

buzzbee · May 17, 2015, 08:54:16 PM

If the swarm you caught had a very old queen, her pheremones may have been diminishing. There is always the possibility they just did not like the new home for some reason.
As Steve said, if you could have added open brood to the swarm box, they may have stayed.

craneman54 · May 17, 2015, 09:49:54 PM

I just started with bees this spring. I have no brood or drown comb. All I got is new equipment and a hard head that want's to raise me some bees.

Colobee · May 18, 2015, 12:38:24 AM

I'm not sure I'm seeing it right - is that bottom entrance wide open all the way across? Have you thought about reducing the entrances? I suppose you have a lot more heat to be concerned about. I keep entrance reducers on until ~June, up here.

craneman54 · May 18, 2015, 01:32:34 AM

It has been hot and humid here the last couple of weeks. From what I have seen on youtube some beeks reduce the entrance some don't. With the heat here I figured it would be better to have better ventilation as these hives are in full sun.

GSF · May 18, 2015, 10:43:07 PM

Use screen to reduce the entrances.

craneman54 · May 18, 2015, 11:07:42 PM

I didn't think of putting an entrance reducer on the hives when I put the packages in. Live and learn.
I have some #8 screen I will make some guards for the entrance first thing in the morning.

Dallasbeek · May 18, 2015, 11:56:33 PM

Craneman, just keep on keeping on. This is a long learning process, and we're dealing with critters that have their own minds. Trying to figure out what they want and need will take time, and sometimes there may not be any answers. We just have to keep trying. You are doing great work and we're all behind you, man.

Dallasbeek · May 18, 2015, 11:57:39 PM

Btw, I really like your avatar.

craneman54 · May 19, 2015, 12:54:28 AM

Quote from: Dallasbeek on May 18, 2015, 11:56:33 PM
Craneman, just keep on keeping on. This is a long learning process, and we're dealing with critters that have their own minds. Trying to figure out what they want and need will take time, and sometimes there may not be any answers. We just have to keep trying. You are doing great work and we're all behind you, man.

Thanks for the encouragement. I have a hard head. I have it in my mind I will make this work. So unless it starts costing me too much money I will get it done.

craneman54 · May 19, 2015, 12:56:34 AM

Quote from: Dallasbeek on May 18, 2015, 11:57:39 PM
Btw, I really like your avatar.

Thanks. It took me a awhile to find one I liked.
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