Swarms, swarms, swarms.

[beehappy1950]

I only have 23 hives and my wife and I have seen at least 10 to 15 swarms this year. Had one last night so caught it and looked at it this morning and it was just a small one so I pinched the queen and shook out the bees to go back home. A bit ago I had a giant swarm that headed to the woods. Then I just went outside and thought I seen another one but noticed they were congregating all over one hive , must have had a failed swarm. Anybody had that happen? Dont look like going to be a good year for me on honey. I know I wasnt looking after them much as I was driving truck for a big farmer putting up haylage but I did have enough supers on that they werent crowded. Hope yall are having a better year.

[The15thMember]

This is the first year, other than my first, that I didn't have any of my hives swarm, nor did I catch any swarms.  We're closing down swarm season at this point, if I catch anything now I'll be concerned it's an abscond instead.  I'm surprised as far north as you are that you are still having swarming this late.  Are you sure the hive that had bees congregating all over it wasn't just bearding?       

[beehappy1950]

The last one was a swarm that left not more than 45 minutes earlier that evidentely came back. We are in a honey flow, no time for just bearding. Yes I am surprised to see all the swarms. How often do you see your hives? Are they close to your house? Swarming is a natural trait with bees. Usually when I hear someone that says they have no swarms I am talking to someone who keeps bees some distance from their house. And they just dont know. I have a neighbor that takes my bees to California to winter so I do not know the ages of my queens

[The15thMember]

How often do you see your hives? Are they close to your house?

Oh yes, they are on a hill right behind my garage.  I inspect once a week or once every two weeks, depending the season and what's going on.  I only have 6 hives at the moment.  I also have a tree on the property next to me that my swarms almost always land in, so I glance at it every time I go outside during swarming season just to check and see if it collected anything.  I try to split instead of letting the bees swarm, just because it's easier, but sometimes I miss them or I get a secondary swarm with a virgin from the mother colony.  I usually have a couple of swarms to collect in the spring, but none this year.

We are in a honey flow, no time for just bearding.

What is blooming in your area right now?  I'm in a dearth right now, waiting on the asters, native sunflowers, and goldenrod which are due next month probably.

[beehappy1950]

We usually put the supers on starting the first of July. By that time the dandelions are about done. And birdsfoot trefoil is getting a foot hold. We didnt have much of a basswood season thanks to the basswood thrips. Didnt see much build up in July because of all the swarms. We have sweet clover opening up now and dutch clover all kinds of thistle and vetch is abundant. They have to getter done in the next 4 weeks because then it will start cooling off and nothing will get put up then. There is the goldenrod and purple asters then but I dont see much movement on them. I usually  extract about the first of September . yES WE WILL ROCK AND ROLL FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

[Bill Murray]

How often do you see your hives?
I am in North florida. From January1 thru march 1. At least every 10 days. Once supers are on, not till the end of June. on Galberry yards not till mid July other than to make sure they have enough nectar storage space. Once supers are off. I go back about 30 days later give or take dependent on how much time I have. All hives I thought queen less. are looked at again. If queenless get combined with a queen rite hive, or if laying workers dumped. I try to even them out at this time to be able to split the ones I want 2nd week give or take of August. If Im making a fall honey crop Those can be left till almost 1st of nov again making sure they have nectar storage space.
The splits are looked at at least every 10 days. They are all moved to my house in the fall, and broke down as 5 frame nucs if queens mate. After that it is TBD. Dependent on Weather.

[Bill Murray]

When is your first pollen coming in??

[beehappy1950]

We have pollen with the bleep willows in spring, hopefully my bees are back by then. After that it seems like there is an abundance of pollen

[beehappy1950]

I dont understand I cant even say bleep willows on here. Whats this place coming to?

[beehappy1950]

Can I say bleep cat?

[beehappy1950]

What kind of narrators we got here?

[The15thMember]

What kind of narrators we got here?

PG rated ones.   

Easy fix.  Just spell it differently.  Pussie willow.   

I planted some pussie willows for my birthday in May, but they died.  I'll have to try again next year a little earlier in the spring.  It was extremely warm when I planted them, and I think it shocked them.

[BeeMaster2]

Beehappy,
BeeMaster has an automatic screening program built in. It is to help keep BeeMaster family friendly. It has been in place for as long as I fave been on here. I?m sure it has been on here for most of the 18 years BeeMaster has been around.
Jim Altmiller