Swarms
Swarms and Casts
The swarm on the left settled on a thick branch in early May. Some improvisation with old milk crates was required to raise the hive up to the cluster. The last of the bees can be seen going in the box.
The swarm above was easily accessible in the hedge and was shaken into a bucket which was then quickly covered. The bees were then unceremoniously dumped into the hive.
This swarm in late May clustered on a thin branch which was cut off and placed on the traditional white table cloth in front of the nuc. Once the bees got the message they marched upwards into the entrance.
The prevention of swarms and cast presents perhaps the greatest challenge to the beekeeper. However, the swarm usually firstly settles close to the hive and allows the beekeeper to recapture the same albeit with a little ingenuity.
This swarm in late July managed to hide itself inaccessibly deep in the hedge but at least at the top. The bees were encouraged to move upward into a nuc box placed on top of the hedge above the swarm.
click for slideshow
The following images were taken not really intending to be a slideshow. But a large swarm had settled conveniently low down in an apple tree. The slides give a good idea of how the bees were shaken into the new brood box.
The following images were taken not really intending to be a slideshow. But a large swarm had settled conveniently low down in an apple tree. The slides give a good idea of how the bees were shaken into the new brood box.
Feeding the swarm
The swarm should always be hived on new foundation. The bees in the swarm always take some stores with them to start building new comb and should be left for a day so that this has bee used up. The swarm should be fed on the evening of the next day with a 1 : 1 sugar syrup i.e. 1lb sugar dissolved in 1 pint warm water ( 1 kg in 1.23 L ). In all 4 lb (or about 2 kg) of sugar can be given. The bees will rapidly take this down in the next 48 hours.
Pollen will soon be seen being taken into the hive as a sure sign that the swarm has settled, new comb has been built, and the bees are preparing for the first brood.
For a comprehensive discussion on why bees swarm see the articles by Peter L. Borst : The Perfect Swarm [17].
The swarm should always be hived on new foundation. The bees in the swarm always take some stores with them to start building new comb and should be left for a day so that this has bee used up. The swarm should be fed on the evening of the next day with a 1 : 1 sugar syrup i.e. 1lb sugar dissolved in 1 pint warm water ( 1 kg in 1.23 L ). In all 4 lb (or about 2 kg) of sugar can be given. The bees will rapidly take this down in the next 48 hours.
Pollen will soon be seen being taken into the hive as a sure sign that the swarm has settled, new comb has been built, and the bees are preparing for the first brood.
For a comprehensive discussion on why bees swarm see the articles by Peter L. Borst : The Perfect Swarm [17].