What have you done today bee-related?

[Japey Edge]

Could that have been what I saw then? This happened a week after the original queen and her troops swarmed and an AS was performed.
They all left and returned within half an hour. I had the brood box open when they returned. Now THAT was a full box of bees...

[Japey Edge]

Today's inspection was long and tiring.

Two not-so-great queens went in the jar of white spirit.
GM buckfast was the last to be inspected. No sign of her or eggs. QCs though. Took all but two down. Took one out to put in mating hive - it fell on floor. Not confident of the one left over. Knowing me though I missed one so they should be fine
Two hives with two supers are still making their brood box honey-bound
Swarm that was united with BS Buckfast has drawn every brood frame out and are at risk of making themselves honey-bound. I have a brood box full of honey frames in my garage.

Why can't they just put honey in supers and give their queens some space??

Once I've extracted this next honey I'm hoping for a week or two break on forage so they can dry up their brood frames. For now I need to buy ANOTHER queen.

[AdamD]

Swarm that was united with BS Buckfast has drawn every brood frame out and are at risk of making themselves honey-bound. I have a brood box full of honey frames in my garage.
Why can't they just put honey in supers and give their queens some space??

Some colonies will put honey up into the supers and leave the brood box with little honey which can be good but you have to be careful if you remove all the supers before the June Gap for obvious reasons, Others can leave the brood box full and are reluctant to move honey up which can lead to congestion.

[NigelP]

Whoa Jazz, I'd be gutted if I bought in a queen that swarmed within weeks of buying her....
But question, was she on double brood? The good Buckfast queens need double brood (at least).
I've just had a couple of my double brood and 4 super hives attempt to swarm. They are all rammed with bees. Me thinks will be a brood box sort out for a lot of hives, get rid of frames clogged with pollen and honey (extract).

On a more positive note, Snelgrove method 2 is sheer genius. All queen cells torn down in upper brood box....alas operator error meant loads of queen cells in lower box (should only be sealed brood in lower box)....so leave for another week before adding queen back downstairs.

[Japey Edge]

Ah no it was my GM from last year that is missing. I don't know whether she swarmed or just died? I did clip her. Maybe I didn't clip enough?

Well that's sad news. Hopefully I get a swarm call if that's what has happened.

I will be mindful of sticking them on double brood. Just the thought of handling 22 frames makes me was to move to Langstroth

[Steve 1972]

Jazz.. this is the worst year to date i have seen for swarming..out of seven colonies one of which had a 2018 Queen and the rest 2019 Queens..three of which where supposedly none swarmy Queens ALL tried and i have lost bees left right and center this year through virgins swarming..i have managed to keep three 2019 Queens from artificial swarming them into nucs ..i just hope i can wiggle what i have left about for the good summer crop..

[Japey Edge]

It's sickening Steve. If she's definitely swarmed then I missed all the signs. Really sickening though. Time to requeen and learn.

Also, Patrick, if you're reading this, the bees got VERY creative with the wax capping feeder. That thing was a pig to clean out!

[Patrick]

Ha, they turned that round quick Jazz! I have never tried it in a Rapid Feeder, but I just cut it out of an English with the hive tool. Don’t worry about being too clean about it, it’s only wax and won’t affect future syrup feeds. I have forgotten I had it on in the past and they have made some fabulous architectural creations! Oddly, never as usable combs though.

[NigelP]

Just the thought of handling 22 frames makes me was to move to Langstroth

Jazz, no need to go through 22 frames each inspection. If you see eggs and young larvae and no queen cells....job done. I rarely lift more than 4 or 5 frames at each inspection. Apart from when I find queen cells and need to split the bees in a vain attempt to stop them doing what comes naturally.
And what do you if your langstroth brood box has queen cells....you will need another langstroth brood box.......

[Japey Edge]

Just the thought of handling 22 frames makes me was to move to Langstroth

Jazz, no need to go through 22 frames each inspection. If you see eggs and young larvae and no queen cells....job done. I rarely lift more than 4 or 5 frames at each inspection. Apart from when I find queen cells and need to split the bees in a vain attempt to stop them doing what comes naturally.
And what do you if your langstroth brood box has queen cells....you will need another langstroth brood box.......

Just when I thought I had made my mind up Nigel you bring me back round again. Cheers
Will stick at it for now.

I'm going to spend some time in the garden today, assessing how the two (possibly 3) queenless colonies are in terms of aggression. Neighbour got a sting to the head yesterday and I don't want that happening again. First incident. Chatted it out and everyone is happy but unless these bees are soft and cuddly 24/7 I will move them away.