Odds of Second Swarm Happening

DayValleyDahlias · March 07, 2008, 11:09:06 PM

It has been approx 32 hours since the swarm was hived. I plan on removing the excluder Sunday. What are the odds she'll swarm again?

Michael Bush · March 07, 2008, 11:37:30 PM

The swarm won't swarm again. You mean leave? Doubtful now that they stayed this long. But if you don't open it up the queen won't be able to mate, if she needs to. And it's possible she's a virgin.

rdy-b · March 07, 2008, 11:53:43 PM

dont worry about the swarm think about the mother hive more than likely that was there prime swarm so what you want to be concerned about is if they will through any cast swarms during the time of queen cells hatching and virgins mating -it is possible for the mother hive to through multiple casts might want to survey what is going on inside -look for open cells -look to see if they are open from the bottom or are chewed through the side -try to get statues if it is queen right even with a virgin and if so you will have the option of cutting out any cells that may pose a threat of them casting a swarm with- any new virgin that hatches after- the one that is predestined to mother the hive 8-) RDY-B

DayValleyDahlias · March 08, 2008, 12:04:12 AM

it just doesn't get easier... :shock:

annette · March 08, 2008, 12:15:18 AM

I read from MB it is not a good idea to cut out queen cells. You can end up queenless. Have you ever thought about making splits with the queen cells?

Last year it appeared my one and only hive was about to swarm. The hive had many queen cells, so I did a split and placed some frames of queen cells into another hive with a few frames of pollen and honey. Then I shook many bees into that new split. This suggestion was from MB. This did not fend off the swarm, they swarmed anyway, but at least I ended up with 2 hives.

I know your hive swarmed already, but if you do find many queen cells, perhaps you can do a split and prevent them from swarming again. I am new at this also, so not totally sure about it all.

Annette

rdy-b · March 08, 2008, 12:34:12 AM

Quote from: annette on March 08, 2008, 12:15:18 AM
I read from MB it is not a good idea to cut out queen cells. You can end up queenless. Have you ever thought about making splits with the queen cells?

Last year it appeared my one and only hive was about to swarm. The hive had many queen cells, so I did a split and placed some frames of queen cells into another hive with a few frames of pollen and honey. Then I shook many bees into that new split. This suggestion was from MB. This did not fend off the swarm, they swarmed anyway, but at least I ended up with 2 hives.

I know your hive swarmed already, but if you do find many queen cells, perhaps you can do a split and prevent them from swarming again. I am new at this also, so not totally sure about it all.

Annette

It is not to late for this colony to make a honey crop - if you want a crop of nucs in stead which is ok then by all means utilize the extra cells -I would go for the HONEY :lol: -RDY-B

rdy-b · March 08, 2008, 12:37:14 AM

Quote from: DayValleyDahlias on March 08, 2008, 12:04:12 AM
it just doesn't get easier... :shock:

Gota think like a Bee 8-) RDY-B

Brian D. Bray · March 09, 2008, 01:44:36 AM

Quote from: DayValleyDahlias on March 07, 2008, 11:09:06 PM
It has been approx 32 hours since the swarm was hived. I plan on removing the excluder Sunday. What are the odds she'll swarm again?

The swarm won't swarm but the old hive might. Especially if there were multiple queen cells in 2 or more boxes. The more cells and the more brood boxes the more likely you can experience after swarms. I captured 8 swarms one time from an abandoned 6 deep supered hive. It was a real swarm producer. I thing there were multiple queens and queen cells in every box. The somebody found it and destroyed it--shot it up and then ran over it a few times--what a loss.