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General Q&A, Bee chat and only Bee chat please
 #12712  by AdamD
 27 May 2022, 09:45
I was called to bees in a post box 3 or 4 years ago. It had been sealed up by the PO for a week or so before I got the call (small entrance hole at the bottom however). However mine consisted of a lot of faffing about to get the post box opened by a postman and the bees had gone.

There's a fair chance that there will be a queen in the swarm. A test-frame from a queenright colony could be tried and if there's no queen, you could unite to another stock and return the frame to where it came from. (Or even allow them to make a queen from it if you want more mistresses to look after).
 #12717  by NigelP
 27 May 2022, 15:28
"1st Class Post" Albert :D

Okay, when Is a swarm not a swarm. read on....
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When the queen has had her wings clipped.
This lot took off unexpectedly a few Saturday afternoons ago and settled on the top of my cherry tree. I walked over to the hive and picked the clipped queen off the ground and caged her. All was frantic for 45 minutes as they searched for their queen. Then all returned home. The advantages of clipping.
Later examination showed not a single sealed queen cell inside the hive!

It was really brought home to me about how much trouble unwanted swarms cause to nearby neighbours. A dear couple a few miles away called about a swarm that had settled in their chimney and one that arrived and scared the living daylights out of them before taking up residence on their front gate, preventing them from entering or leaving their premises.
I dealt with the gate swarm and got them to keep a a smokey fire burning in the chimney for a few days, which seems to have done the trick.
If the owner if those bees had clipped their queens it wouldn't have caused so much distress to a quite elderly couple and wouldn't have wasted a couple of hours of my valuable time.
I'm beginning to see not taking swarming preps seriously as a major blot on any keepers copybook.
 #12720  by Liam
 27 May 2022, 17:47
NigelP wrote:
27 May 2022, 15:28
When the queen has had her wings clipped.
Every queen I have ever clipped got superseded. I know so many do clip but for me it just doesnt work :( . I now only replace like for like, kinda wish I didnt have such bad experiences with clipping as would love to try again.
 #12722  by NigelP
 27 May 2022, 20:05
Liam wrote:
27 May 2022, 17:47

Every queen I have ever clipped got superseded. I know so many do clip but for me it just doesnt work :( . I now only replace like for like, kinda wish I didnt have such bad experiences with clipping as would love to try again.
Interesting point Liam, What strain of queens are you dealing with? I'm using Keld Brandstrups Buckfast queens and their progeny open mated in my apiaries. I also don't clip or mark this years mated queens until next spring which may (or may not) be a factor.

JoJo, queens are more robust than you think they are. Before I had the confidence to hold and clip I used these Twist and turn cages from Thornes. Impossible to crush the queen in one of these and so easy. The plunger stays short of the ooen mesh and allows you to take all sorts of liberties with HM.
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 #12726  by Alfred
 28 May 2022, 06:57
NigelP wrote:
27 May 2022, 15:28
"
I'm beginning to see not taking swarming preps seriously as a major blot on any keepers copybook.
Natural beekeeping.
There are no Rules.

No, my lovely, but there are consequences
 #12727  by JoJo36
 28 May 2022, 08:05
I know what you mean Alfred!! :)
I usually overcheck mine so thought I'd relax with this particular hive as it was left with just 2 queen cells!!! I was caught out and now every time I walk down the garden I am suspicious that the bees are just waiting for me to turn my back and they're at it again!!!!
Back to checks every 6-7 days or more............ :)
 #12728  by NigelP
 28 May 2022, 08:58
JoJo36 wrote:
28 May 2022, 05:48
Thanks Nigel, ordered one from 'Simon' via Amazon so should get it next week!
As long as it's it isn't one of those with a stem like plunger you should be fine.
These ones should be banned as difficult to use and easy to excert too much opressure.

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