First C2 and NOW C1 - Swarms moved in

[beemaster]

Hi All :)

After this post, I'll be cleaning up the spam-members from the register, but thought I'd write a quick note to fill everyone in what's going on here lately. First though, welcome to ALL THE NEW MEMBERS who have joined lately, welcome to the forum and I hope that you find all the help you need or offer assistance and ideas if you can - the interaction here is open and friendly and covers many topics both beekeeping related and general topics, allowing you to better know the other members.

A second Swarm took over my other empty hive

For the second time this season, I have had a swarm move in and take residence of my empty and cleaned up hive - both were 2 boxes high and filled with about 60 or so pound of honey or more.

The first move-in was about 6-7 weeks ago and now I found great activity in the second hive and sure enough a sizable swarm moved in and went right to work.

It is like the movie FIELD OF DREAMS - build it and they will come! I made the hives VERY livable and ready to move in and home-needy swarms took advantage of the offer.

As soon as the massive thunder-storms and flooding leave my area for a day (we look like we are going to see another 4 or 5 days of heavy rains here - then I'll get in there for a good inspection and let you know how well they are doing.

Again, glad to see the forum so active and best wishes to everyone, no matter what season it is where you are.

[Understudy]

If I left 60 pounds of honey outside in my yard. My bees would be all over it in less than 20 minuets. Hell they go after my solar wax melter when I am melting comb.

If the bees didn't get to it the wax moth and SHBs would take over.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Die Spammers Die!

[beemaster]

I've checked C1 every week, breaking it apart and looking for anyone taking over, besides from limited ant activity a few weeks ago, all has been good. Definitely no wax moth or beetles and no fermentation of honey, all cells are sealed well.

Maybe it's luck, but I attribute it to a warm spell and hardly any humidity for a long time. Now, for the first time in 2 months, we are getting enough rain to catch us up to a monthly average for June here - I'm pretty sure I can say the same about May.

[Apis629]

Congradulations on getting another hive of bees.  Did you have 100% winter-kill last year?  I guess it must be cold up there.  At least you don't have to worry about AHBs...

[Hi-Tech]

or the SHB :evil:  :evil:  :evil:

Congrats on the swarm!

[beemaster]

Yes.... I had total loss in the Spring, I'm pretty positive it was NOT cold BUT HEAVY FOG and HUMIDITY - we had several weeks where blinding fog set in for 8 hours at a clip and repeated again and again for several nights over the weeks.

I think it was just so wet and humid that the chill set in and it through off the whole clustering cycle - because during the fog you had a natural warm up but afterwards it dropped back low and everything you touched was cold and damp.

I saw no signs of disease or parasites (I'm not ruling out the invisibly small things you need to have bees tested for, but honey stores were intact and right where they should be after a relatively average to mild Winter.

Whatever took them out, did it LATE into the Winter and Early into Spring - I watched daily flights during warn days in March and all seemed well.

I'm happy to see bees back in both hives - I'd rather swarms take residence than to buy packages: to me it is like getting a dog or cat from the pound and saving its life, rather than buying a pure-breed. Humanly, it seems the right thing to do. I'm not selling the honey, and rarely use it. I enjoy the bees for what they do for the plant life in my area.

Beekeeping for me has evolved over the years. I'm enjoying hosting the forums and giving so many beekeepers a place to gather and communicate - surely it is NOT the biggest forum on the net but it is a fine gathering which I'm proud to be a part of, so being part of the communication end of beekeeping has plenty enough rewards for me.

Once my yard and the skis dry out here, I'm going in and checking everything closely. I hope both hives are healthy, they surely are active and the only goal I hope to set is to have them ready for Winter once again - hopefully THIS time, with better results.

[TwT]

yeah, one time in a year and you are lucky, two times in a year,,,, you need to buy lottery tickets and share the number's on here ;) ,,, way to gooooo!!!! keep the luck going!!! you need to build or buy more equipment for next years swarms ;)

[Diver]

congratulations  YOUR A BEEKEEPER AGAIN. Glad your strategy worked out and you got your hives buzzing again.  I'm happy for you.

[latebee]

All good things come to those who wait----And you got "em at the right price! Guess its been a swarmy year all along the east coast. I am glad these did not make it to the trees----instead they went to your hives,you deserve a break.