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Author Topic: Couple questions  (Read 941 times)

Offline Nock

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Couple questions
« on: May 18, 2020, 03:30:29 pm »
 remember the swarm I caught few weeks ago on the fire hydrant?  Went in to check on that hive yesterday. Opened it up and hardly any bees at all in it. My first thought was they absconded. So I shut it up and went on checking the rest of hives. I came back to it to investigate. They had drawn out some comb. Then I found eggs.  She had everything available laid up. But just wasn?t enough bees. So I thought I?d go over to a strong hive and pull them a frame of capped brood. I shook a few nurse bee off but left the majority on the frame. Had that frame in hand and removed the lid on the box. I didn?t even look at lid. Placed frame in. Watched for a second and grabbed lid and was going to put it on. That?s when I saw her. She had moved to the lid. She ran up the side and I knew what she was fixing to do. Tried to get her but to late. She flew off. I lost her. So I left lid off for a few minutes then buttoned it up. I went back several times yesterday and checked for any bees balling up anywhere but never saw any so what?s the chances of her hitting that hive?  What happened to all the bees?  Was there multiple virgins in that swarm and they left?  What should I do?  Wait couple days go back in and look for fresh eggs/her? 

Offline iddee

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Re: Couple questions
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2020, 03:55:20 pm »
Yesterday's eggs will hatch Wednesday. Go back Thursday and look for eggs. If found, close up for 2 more weeks. Chances are 80% that she made it back.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline TheHoneyPump

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Couple questions
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2020, 05:57:33 pm »
Often the best course of action is to do nothing.  Can pretty much guarantee she flew back to her own spot within moments after you disturbed her.  Leave alone and Check in 5+ days for fresh eggs. Chances are high that all is well and fine.
As for where all the swarm bees went, ... for dirt naps.  Old bees die off. 
When the lid goes back on, the bees will spend the next 3 days undoing most of what the beekeeper just did to them.

Offline Hops Brewster

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Re: Couple questions
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2020, 10:59:38 am »
that might happen again sometime.  Best to simply stay put for 5 minutes or so and she will (usually) fly back.  You were part of the landscape when she flew off and so could include you as a landmark on her return.
Winter is coming.

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Offline van from Arkansas

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Re: Couple questions
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2020, 02:23:51 pm »
Nock, if I understood, you added nurse bees and a frame of brood with bees?  Is this correct understanding?

I realize the books say ok to add nurse bees but my experience say otherwise.  In the past, I shook bees into a large Tupperware box, slightly shaking the box to encourage the flyers to fly off leaving only flightless nurse bees to add to a weak hive.  I added the nurse bees to the weak hive and to my surprise the queen was balled immediately.  I released the queen from the balling bees and the queen took off, never to be seen again.

Hope your queen returns.
Van
I have been around bees a long time, since birth.  I am a hobbyist so my answers often reflect this fact.  I concentrate on genetics, raise my own queens by wet graft, nicot, with natural or II breeding.  I do not sell queens, I will give queens  for free but no shipping.

Offline Nock

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Re: Couple questions
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2020, 04:25:48 pm »
Nock, if I understood, you added nurse bees and a frame of brood with bees?  Is this correct understanding?

I realize the books say ok to add nurse bees but my experience say otherwise.  In the past, I shook bees into a large Tupperware box, slightly shaking the box to encourage the flyers to fly off leaving only flightless nurse bees to add to a weak hive.  I added the nurse bees to the weak hive and to my surprise the queen was balled immediately.  I released the queen from the balling bees and the queen took off, never to be seen again.

Hope your queen returns.
Van
I shook the frame before adding it. But there were some nurse bees still on it. Got good weather today so hopefully I will check in this afternoon after work. I?ll give update later.