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beegood_gw

Lottsa Bees!

beegood_gw
14 years ago

Opened my hives today and they are wall to wall bees and lots of brood. Gave them a shallow honey super. I know it's early but it will give something to do getting it ready.Dandelions are finally blooming . Took long enuff.

Comments (7)

  • beegood_gw
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Well I knew there were too many bees . Had a swarm today. Just a small one . Were on a maple in the front yard and when I came out 15 minutes later they had left for the wild blue yonder.

  • Konrad___far_north
    14 years ago

    This happens a lot with a 2 year queen if nothing gets done.
    I never had them swarm this early, one can never know when it happens.
    I checked mine and wanted to install 3 new frames in each brood chamber, a measure to prevent swarming a bit.
    Perhaps I'm a bad bee keeper, ...I took the hive apart, [partially] but chickened out and left it be, because I just hate to tear
    everything apart and risk the loss of queen because the boxes are jam pact with bees.
    Not long ago, April, I shuffled some frames around...this has to do, I supered up also, it seems the two brood chambers
    have allot of honey too, a good start for another honey season!
    Good luck!
    What is wild blue yonder?

    Konrad

  • beegood_gw
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Wild Blue Yonder Hmm. Never really thought about it. Sort off into the distance . Sky being blue and yonder away .I don't know. Just one of those saying hard to disect.

  • Konrad___far_north
    14 years ago

    OK...got it!...too bad that they went into thin air!......do you put up some swarm lures?
    It's always good to keep some boxes with combs around, best to place them high, have them up on a fuel tank stand.
    Swarms are my new queens. One year a swarm went into my duck house,.. I love swarms!
    You can hang card board boxes up in trees too...read swarm lures [Google].

    Konrad

  • seamommy
    14 years ago

    Wild blue yonder-it's where the Air Force goes when they take off in their airplanes-

    Off we go into the wild blue yonder,
    Climbing high into the sun;
    Here they come zooming to meet our thunder,
    At 'em boys, Give 'er the gun!
    Down we dive, spouting our flame from under,
    Off with one hell of a roar!*
    We live in fame or go down in flame.
    Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force!

    Minds of men fashioned a crate of thunder,
    Sent it high into the blue;
    Hands of men blasted the world asunder;
    How they lived God only knew! (God only knew!)
    Souls of men dreaming of skies to conquer
    Gave us wings, ever to soar!
    With scouts before and bombers galore.
    Nothing'll stop the U.S. Air Force!

    Here's a toast to the host
    Of those who love the vastness of the sky,
    To a friend we send a message of his brother men who fly.
    We drink to those who gave their all of old,
    Then down we roar to score the rainbow's pot of gold.
    A toast to the host of men we boast, the U.S. Air Force!

    Off we go into the wild sky yonder,
    Keep the wings level and true;
    If you'd live to be a grey-haired wonder
    Keep the nose out of the blue!
    Flying men, guarding the nation's border,
    We'll be there, followed by more!
    In echelon we carry on.
    Nothing will stop the U.S. Air Force!

    Course everyone in the Navy thinks the USAF is a bunch of sissies, but they sure can sing!

  • beegood_gw
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I was a medical assistant in the RCAF way back when we were 3 distinct services and of course we knew we were the best and yes we sure could sing!!

  • beegeek
    14 years ago

    Swarming is a mechanism best described as the hive getting too full. In truth the trigger is that the queen, the egg laying factory, has run out of empty prepared cells to lay into. Workers will create swarm cells near the bottom and edges of the comb where she will lay additional eggs. These will later become the new queen of the remaining colony. When the current queen has no place left to lay in the hive, her egg laying then temporarily shuts down and she stops getting fed as much by the nurse bees. The queen becomes light enough for long distance flight as the new queen is formed within the swarm cell(s). Shortly before or as the new virgin queen emerges, a portion of the colony will split away from the hive and take the old queen with them. They usually land on a tree or fence a few feet from the hive. After the direction is determined, this portion of honey bees, now a swarm, takes off to find a new dwelling to occupy. The optimal dwelling they are looking for is an enclosed space away from the weather with a small opening to defend. This can be anything from a hollow tree to the hollow interior of a wall.
    Spring is the major season for swarms due to two prevailing swarm stimuli. First, nature has a cycle that includes the increase in offspring and drone production as natural spring swarm behavior. Second, this is when most plants are in bloom. When nectar becomes widely available, foraging bees collect and return with copious amounts of nectar to store. You will notice honey stored in all parts of the hive, including cells in the middle of the brood area. If the flow is large or enticing enough, every available cell will get plugged with honey, leaving very to no empty cells for new brood. This is why adding additional empty honey supers or even a few empty frames to the brood area will reduce tendency for swarming. Managing available space for storage (honey and pollen) will also end up managing the brood area as well.

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