Swarms with virgin queens…

This topic has 1 reply, 2 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 10 months ago by tim brown.

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

Author

Posts
April 13, 2015 at 8:13 am #9602

susan rudnicki
Participant

I am writing this to point out that not all swarms are headed by mated queens from a primary swarm. I have hived 2 swarms so far this Spring that have obviously had virgins, took some time for the queen to become mated and one is now laying. The other arrived April 1, so at the outside point of the “mating rule” should be laying by the 14th of April—very soon. When hiving a swarm, it helps to provide the bees with the resources they need to boost them a bit. A frame of drawn comb with honey and pollen is great, and a frame with some capped brood (let the nurse bees stay on it) is even better for providing the “cementing” pheromones that the brood give off to anchor a colony to its place.

July 25, 2015 at 2:39 am #9816
tim brown
Participant
I just had a hive swarm. It had the old marked queen and a new virgin queen. They swarmed at the same time and landed in a near by tree, then divided into two groups about one foot apart, a basketball size and a volley ball size. I witnessed the swarm. Then collected two colonies. Yeah, for me.
- This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by tim brown.
Author

Posts

Viewing 2 posts - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The forum ‘HoneyLove Forum’ is closed to new topics and replies.

About susan rudnicki

Been beekeeping almost 5 years now. Have 27 hives,(2 client hives) I work with the City of Manhattan Beach, re-homing bees in conflict with citizens. Allowed to keep bees at the Public Works yard (19 hives) in exchange for this work. I do many presentations for HoneyLove, teach bee students, rescue bees and sell honey.

View all posts by susan rudnicki →

Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter to receive updates.