Beekeeping: How To Deal With Swarm Cells For Swarm Control
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Beekeeping means honey bees will swarm in the spring. I'm facing a dilemma with a hive that may try to swarm even though it's too early to make a split. Let's solve this problem.
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Whoa, you made it all the way down here! Thank you ♥️ Love you
My preference is to allow my hives swarm whenever they want. I think it’s just better for the bees and reduces stress. I just keep empty hives around the yard with old brood comb and they always seem to get filled with swarms. On occasion I might need to grab a swarm or two out of a tree but I don’t mind.
Remember David said he wants!! the genetics from this breeder Queen. other wise sure😁
Another consideration for some of us: If the colony is Africanized and has rather defensive behavior, you might not want to increase the amount of bees like that that are lose in the neighborhood. In those cases it's better to prevent swarming & re-queen or to euthanize them.
David, it's Friday, April 5, 3 inches of snow and still snowing, no hive inspection, etc until next week. GREAT POD CAST last night! Hope your weather is getting better.
So went in today lots of swarm cells actually watched a new queen emerging lots of brood and cap and lava but I could not find queen. How long before I should go back in and look. Its warm here northern Ohio
This cold spell really slowed things down with the bees. I'm wanting to make splits, but worried about more cold weather coming in April.
Yup same here. Cold snap has halted all bee stuff.
I'm probably not understanding the timeline correctly, but why couldn't you have stopped the inspection once you saw eggs? I feel like if you saw eggs on this inspection you knew your queen was there and could have just torn down the cells and been done. I'm probably missing something and love the idea of bringing the super inside.
Since this is my breeder queen, I would sleep better at night knowing she was there. Plus, if you see a day old egg, what if the queen was killed or died on the same day she laid the egg. It was just my way of putting my mind to ease that she was there before I tore down cells.
So I got into my bees today and had one swarm cell that had royal jelly in it. I found the queen and eggs. Was it correct to take down the queen cell? Will they still possibly swarm?
One swarm cell is unusual. Usually there are many. If it was in the middle part of the frame it likely was a supercedure swarm cell.
Windy here as well. I had a queen in one hive elude me all year last year. And it was a mean one. She's got to go this year.
Thanks!
Thank you for the super thanks!!
If she is a breaded queen why distroid the queen cells, why not making new nuc. If she is so good?
As mentioned in the video, it is way too early, too cold to begin raising queens or making splits.
David, if you see a queen cell that don’t have anything in it, why don’t you go ahead and destroy it? Thanks!!
Because it's not worth the effort. They can build one from nothing in 24 hours, plus all hives have queen cups year round just in case.
It really is amazing how calm they are when they're away from the hive. Looking forward to more info on that beetle vac. You need a belt holster for that thing.
Great idea. I need a bit of a smaller tip.
We have a popup tent im thinking I might use to protect the hive and block the wind. If the Queen means that much to you , may be worth the effort?
I was filming last week, and had an umbrella up to protect my camera from overheating in the wind. But the wind took my umbrella and smashed it into my camera on the tripod and smashed it onto the gravel. The tripod broke as well as the camera lens, so be careful because the wind might do the same with the tent if the winds are as bad as here.
Why did you only check the top box for swarm cells? Would they not have them in the boxes below?
Because I check the deeps two days before in that video before this one and I found none.
Thank you for this! This is next level beekeeping!! Call it my imagination, but I thought I saw a tiny glisten of an egg on that cup on frame #5 that you didn't destroy. Have you ever tried a "Russian Scion" for a temporary swarm attractant?
Thanks, I'm aware of it but have never use that exact one. Check out my livestream on Thursday nights, 7pm Central Time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
Could there be swarm cells in the lower two deeps?
Why wouldn't you remove and save those queen cells in a queen brooder? Seems like they would be good quality queens...or am I missing something?
Way too cold!! If it was warmer but we haven’t come out of winter configuration yet.
@@beek Roger that! Thanks.
Can't believe your feeding with honey super on.
That super is one that I keep on the hive and do not extract. It stays on for them, even all winter. Check out my livestream on Thursday nights, 7pm Central Time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
how long would you leave the queen before allowing her to be replaced?
Two years, I get worried on year three that she could perish.
I use pine straw. Works nicely.
Yes I used to but they do burn faster than burlap
Queen seclude on the bottom until next’s week, so she don’t go.
Too labor intensive for me since it's still cold. I'd prefer to deal with swarm cells as I can on warmer winter days because I have to baby this breeder queen.
I have a question in regards to hive stands and screened bottom boards. I'm a first year, I have 2 hives and I'm doing a few different things in each. Both are packages and both will have your top feeders. Only one will have a screened bottom board though. Does it defeat the purpose of having a screened bottom board if the give is sitting on a solid foundation instead of being placed between 2x6's for example?
What about a queen excluder on the entrance?
I thought about that, but it is only a temporary fix, as they will continue to prepare to swarm with the queen excluder between the bottom board and the first box. It buys you time to get into the hive and do what I did. So I just decided to do it all at one time so I could not lose that breeder queen.
Don't remember if you said your saw eggs in last video.
Yes, eggs are present but I must put eyes on my breeder queen to ensure all is well before I tear down swarm cells.
@@beek I saw you found her. Sigh of relief :)
The only guy I know that can intelligently use "red-dot" in two unrelated contexts.
I've been worried about my big hive that overwintered. It's really strong, and I love this queen. I have two deep brood boxes a medium super on that they have nearly filled with nectar and i just put on a shallow super. I have only seen one empty queen cell. I keep watching, there's plenty of space for brood in the deeps for the queen too. Here in Virginia everything's blooming so there's a lot of resources. They love my cherry tree. Thanks for the information.
My hives are going through 2 gallons of food every 4 days
They are building up
yes when I put my feeders on the hives had 8 1/2 frames of bees in the top and some out foraging not been warm enough to pull frames yet. Thanks for the reply
Fun caveat to the queen excluder rules... if you have uncapped brood below the queen excluder, the queen is safe regardless
Hi David, I am a 3rd year beekeeper in Coastal British Columbia. I enjoy your videos so much! Thank you!
Great to hear!
Watching this is painful. I have the same problem and have already done all the things you said not to do (remove swarm cells without finding queen, install queen excluder, etc). Hopefully the bees can overcome my new beek mistakes. We'll see Monday when the temp warms up again. (Lexington, KY).
Usually what you have done works out. Since this is my breeder queen, I would sleep better at night knowing she was there. Plus, if you see a day old egg, what if the queen was killed or died on the same day she laid the egg. It was just my way of putting my mind to ease that she was there before I tore down cells.
Same issue i have here in SW Ohio. All the brood boxes, upper most, are packed. The weather is terrible. Found one with swarm cells capped a week a week ago. Did five Demaree and two splits on the only 60* day. It's snowing this morning, Thursday. Super cell removal Sat/Sun at the latests when it'll be sunny and maybe 55*. Luck. Maybe reduced swarming, into the cold, which would probably kill them.
Yes, such an iffy time of the year.
David THANKS for the video - GREAT ONE! Yes, weather here not very good, rain all day now snow flakes flying, expecting the same until Saturday warmup. I have everything ready to add a feeder, etc. HAVE A GREAT DAY 👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for sharing!
My pleasure! I hope you can join me for my livestream every Thursday 7PM Central Time, here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
Another timely video. Thanks David. Same weather problems here in Maine
Yes, April is a frustrating month for us. Winter one week, then summer for a few day and back to winter.
What would you do if you had 15 to 20 colonies all doing the same thing? That's a little more realistic this time of year. It would be wonderful if they did it one at a time. Good luck with your bees this season.
Actually that's about the number I have hear in my UA-cam studio yard, so I'm watching them all about the same way. Behind on a few. Check out my livestream on Thursday nights, 7pm Central Time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
7 PM CST is what time for Central Daylight Time? I wish we would just stay on standard time all year long.
😃 It's actually 7 CDT now (April). Central Daylight Time (CDT) is a North American time zone in use from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November.
If there are no eggs in the swarm cells why would they swarm in a couple days I always thought they won't swarm tell the cells are caped.
But I showed two of them that had larvae in them.
Could you have put a queen excluder at the bottom of the hive to prevent your queen from leaving?
That's a very temporary fix, as they will continue to prepare to swarm with the queen excluder between the bottom board and the first box. It buys you time to get into the hive and do what I did. So I just decided to do it all at one time so I could not lose that breeder queen.
Any drones in your area?
Yes, indeed, they are taking mating flights on warm days.
@@beek amazing how different Illinois and Wisconsin is. I'm still waiting.
I am getting a package on Saturday and it is supposed to be very windy. What do you recommend?
Wind is tough. Just work through it as if it wasn't windy.
I’m so happy to know about your MOB podcast!
Thanks, Mysteries of Honey Bees Podcast is great for driving in the car when you just can't watch a video. Here's the link for others who may be reading this: www.honeybeesonline.com/davids-podcast/
Why did you not destroy the empty queen cells you found?
Most colonies have those around all the time to some degree, and like I said in the video they can build one back out in 24 hours. Check out my livestream on Thursday nights, 7pm Central Time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
Im in va last summer saw at least 30 hb in each hive. What a pest
Last year, I would count it lucky if I only saw 30 in a couple of my hives.
I think I spotted the queen on that inspection video you did. Might wanna take a look at your footage before you do anything. JS
I made a new video just now where I found her. She had a huge red dot on her. When you think you saw her did she have a red dot on her? If not, that wasn’t the queen.
@@beek Good job :) I'm glad you found her.
This calls for suspense and popcorn :-)))
Indeed.
Where do you get your burlap smoker fuel?
The link should be in the description.
Needed this video!!!! Thank you
You're so welcome! Glad you enjoyed it. Check out my livestream on Thursday nights, 7pm Central Time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
Where did you get that vac?
I'm making a video on it soon.
I love that beetle vacuum hahaha
Me too.
Like thst beetle blaster
Yes!
Love this video!!!!!!!
So glad! Be sure and check out my livestream every Thursday night at 7pm central time. Here's the link: www.honeybeesonline.com/live/
Why did you not look for swarm cells in either of the two deeps?
I did, but it was two days ago.
Thanks! Always enjoy your videos!
What about a clean excluder on the entrance?
Queen excluder on the entrance
I thought about that, but it doesn't really solve any issues in the hive, just holds the queen in.