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Author Topic: They did NOT swarm  (Read 72 times)

Offline 2Sox

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They did NOT swarm
« on: May 25, 2023, 05:08:50 pm »
Not question here; just an observation.  But comments welcome.

I was lucky this year beacause I caught them in time. I "opened the brood" nests in all the colonies - The technique that Michael Bush describes in detail in his online book -  and had no swarm issue. Then I went in a checkerboarded the honey supers. Then an interesting thing happened that I hadn?t ever seen before - and it was easier to see because I have all my colonies in my back yard on concrete.  They were dumping out thousands of drones all over the ground. Just didn?t need them anymore, I guess.

I also pulled out many - not all - of the drone combs from all the colonies. Wasn?t sure if this helped anything though.

*The post has been modified to give much deserved credit to Michael Bush.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2023, 08:06:09 pm by 2Sox »
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Offline The15thMember

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Re: They did NOT swarm
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2023, 07:02:52 pm »
I have had several colonies dump their drones this spring at different times.  Sometimes it's adults, sometimes it's pulled pupae, sometimes both.  I'm not sure if my swarming or non-swarming colonies were the ones who were doing it. 
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Offline Ben Framed

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Re: They did NOT swarm
« Reply #2 on: Today at 12:46:42 am »
Did y'all happen to check these drone larva or pupa for signs of mites?

Phillip
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