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Any tips?

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RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 3:24 pm Post subject: Any tips?

Just had a neighbour call round. He has a swam by his front door

Been & had a quick look & they are all over the place at the min. They have started to comb build (very little) in a chimney pot on the underside of a stone grind wheel that is on top. Tried to collect them up but they were very flighty & spread over a large area. Said I will come back later when its cooler & darker to try again. With luck they will be all in the chimney & I can drape a cloth over it all.

Any tips?

Managed to get my first few stings as well through my trousers. Gloves were covered in stingers.

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 5:05 pm Post subject:

Cover the floor area with an old sheet of some sort.

Is it possible to bang the top of the chimney, to bang the bees into an upturned box.

They will be flighty if the queen isn't in the box, as they try to regroup.

Once you have her they will gradually group up, with her.

If they have built comb then maybe it will be easier to cut the comb away, and put into the box, turn it upside down, and prop on something, then the bees will climb upwards and futher into the box, and the stragglers will still be able to fly into them too.

It is very exciting.

Good luck.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 6:36 pm Post subject:
When I said they had built comb I meant the start of it not the actual comb yet. When I went back they were much calmer. Managed to get a good 90% into the box.

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 6:57 pm Post subject:
Great photos! And a fiver to anyone who can spot the Queen

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 7:01 pm Post subject:
She is I think in those pics as I did spot one that was about 30-50% bigger & slight dif markings but she does not show in the pics.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 09 8:14 pm Post subject:
Great - it is quite magical watching them all walk up into their new hive isn't it?

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 3:08 am Post subject:
Give them a big feed of sugar syrup and then leave them be for at least a week or so. Well done. We have captured 2 swarms this year - very rewarding. If only more people called beekeepers instead of killing them.

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 6:43 am Post subject:
No tips, I'll leave that to the experts, but just to say - I'm pleased for you Richard Hope they thrive and all goes well.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 10:21 am Post subject:

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

Give them a big feed of sugar syrup and then leave them be for at least a week or so.

Is feeding them needed at this time of year?

As we are using a TBH we are trying to be minimalist in the intrerferance we do.

Richard

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 10:38 am Post subject:

RichardW wrote:

Lorrainelovesplants wrote:

Give them a big feed of sugar syrup and then leave them be for at least a week or so.

Is feeding them needed at this time of year?

As we are using a TBH we are trying to be minimalist in the intrerferance we do.

Richard

Not necessary if the weather stays reasonably dry & mild but a gallon of syrup will help them build new comb so the queen will recommence laying sooner & build the colony up stronger for winter.
Check out the TBH forum for feeding tips as it's not as easy to feed a TBH as a conventional frame hive.
Loads of ideas there.
Well done & good luck.

RichardW

Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 8443
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 12:39 pm Post subject:
Thanks for that forum link. Thats another day or two of my life gone lol. Richard

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35935
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 1:02 pm Post subject:
And mine ...

cassy

Joined: 04 Feb 2008
Posts: 1047
Location: South West Scotland

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 2:42 pm Post subject:
Nice work getting them into the hive! Hope they settle well and are happy, healthy bees for you.

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Mon Jul 27, 09 7:54 pm Post subject:
Great pics! Really hope all goes well for you with them. Well done !

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 09 9:25 am Post subject:

I went to feed my 2 hives last evening. One is doing really well (the swarm I colected from the local hotel). This was collectedthe day the guy saw the swarm, so the bees were fat and happy.
The other hive is probably going to die. We collected the swarm after 10 days on the chimney, and the bees were ttred ad hungry. Although wefed them well, they never really came back from it, and although their are a few eggs on one frame, they dont lok as if they aregoing to make it.
Im not happy to combine the 2 incase their is an underlying problem with the unhappy lot.

Still, if we get a Indian summer it might make a difference.

If not, I will feed about a gallon of syrup to build up their stores.

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