Bee ranching, round up time

[RoadKingLarry]

Looks like my hive swarmed on me today. Found this swarm bivouacking about 15 yards from the hive. Only about 7' up so an easy catch.
I'd inspected the hive Saturday and was seeing signs of them maybe being a little swarmy so I had made plans to do an artificial swarm Saturday morning. I had the box ready so made quick work of getting them in the box and buttoned up for the night. Only got one sting through the side of the finger on my gloves.


april swarm1-190740 by lmmiers, on Flickr

april swarm2-190202 by lmmiers, on Flickr

april swarm3-192411 by lmmiers, on Flickr

[zahc]

What's artificial swarming?

[Firethorn]

What's artificial swarming?

You simulate a swarm by moving the home box while most of the foragers are out, putting a new box in place.  Oh, and you move a queen to the new box.

[MechAg94]

Does the old box get smelly or something?  Or is it just Spring and they want a new clean hive?

[Firethorn]

Does the old box get smelly or something?  Or is it just Spring and they want a new clean hive?

The old box still has the nurse bees, larva, and probably a queen or at least queen cells.

What it does is live off the stored honey until it can replace the foragers.

It's basically mitosis for a bee colony.

The "new" hive has a queen and a bunch of foragers, so the queen lays eggs while the foragers build up honey reserves, so fresh foragers are leaving the nest by the time a significant number of the old ones have died off.

[RoadKingLarry]

Firethorn covered the gist of it.
Basically the home hive starts to get overpopulated and they "go forth and multiply"
In a "primary" swarm the mother queen will bug out with up to half the original hive and find new digs. A fresh swarm is an amazing natural process where they set out to start a new home and a comb drawing machine, in a swarm they have to draw new comb to give the queen someplace to lay
An artificial swarm is a management technique that is intended to co-opt the swarm process to keep the bees from flying off to parts unknown.
I gave them a feeder this afternoon and got a good look at how many bees are in the new hive. I'm not entirely, 100% convinced this swarm came from my hive. The number of bees in the swarm and the number in the old hive don't quite jibe to the old hive swarming. There has to be either another beek in the area or a feral hive not to far away that was the source of the swarm I caught last May and could remotely possibly be the source of this swarm. Still, probably 95% odds they came from my hive.  

And after remaining unstung for the 1st ten months of keeping bees I collected my third sting in 6 days this afternoon, I walked down just to see if they were still in the hive and one got me on the back of the head just under my hatband.

[RoadKingLarry]

The "business" end of a honeybee. This is the one that got me in the back of the head.

stinger-4070688 by lmmiers, on Flickr

[TommyGunn]

It was just trying to make a point.......

[Jim147]

You know since you only brand the queen, are you sure those are your bees? You know what we do to rustlers right?

[Firethorn]

And after remaining unstung for the 1st ten months of keeping bees I collected my third sting in 6 days this afternoon, I walked down just to see if they were still in the hive and one got me on the back of the head just under my hatband.

Not a beekeeper, but to me this signals that you might want to requeen the hive - they sound a touch aggressive

[RoadKingLarry]

You know since you only brand the queen, are you sure those are your bees? You know what we do to rustlers right?

Free range bees.

Not a beekeeper, but to me this signals that you might want to requeen the hive - they sound a touch aggressive

If the swarm came from my hive it is likely the queen they made last Summer which to now had been a good layer and a particularly gentle hive.
I've been giving the possible reasons for it some considerable thought. 1st sting I was using a black camera with a large black and white lens that makes lots of clicking and whirring sounds, 2nd I was putting my hand into a swarm to brush them off into the new hive, likely caught one between my fingers. 3rd was gratuitous but the afternoon after catching the swarm so still a bit worked up over getting rough handled and it was windy. I have recently changed bath soaps so there may be a scent issue. I'll change back to my old brand and see if it makes a difference.

[never_retreat]

Tell me your pitfalls because I'm starting soon.
I was able to finally find someone locally to get the bees from that was not sold out.
I'm getting 2 nucs.

I just ordered 2 full hives from Mann lake. 2 deep brood box 2 med suppers each. Comes with the bottom board, top, and lid.
Got entrance feeders as well.

Already have jacket/Vail, smoker, hive tools, brush and gloves.
Do you think there is anything else a noob should have?

I'm assuming jeans are sufficient when working with bees? I've never really seen anyone do anything differential.

[RoadKingLarry]

Tell me your pitfalls because I'm starting soon.
I was able to finally find someone locally to get the bees from that was not sold out.
I'm getting 2 nucs.

I just ordered 2 full hives from Mann lake. 2 deep brood box 2 med suppers each. Comes with the bottom board, top, and lid.
Got entrance feeders as well.

Already have jacket/Vail, smoker, hive tools, brush and gloves.
Do you think there is anything else a noob should have?

I'm assuming jeans are sufficient when working with bees? I've never really seen anyone do anything differential.

Go here, read - http://www.beesource.com/forums/

Books - Beekeeping for dummies and Backyard Beekeeper are two pretty good reads. However, it is good to remember that the bees don't read any of the books and will do as they damn well please

Protective gear is sting resistant, not sting proof. You will get stung, my 10 stingless months was an anomaly.  But, I know several people that work unprotected or with only a veil or with a jacket, gloves and veil and shorts. The ventilated suits or jackets get high praise from those that live in hot areas.
Play with your smoker and learn how to light it and keep it going. Never open a hive without your smoker at hand.
Don't expect to harvest honey your first year, it's entirely possible but don't expect it.
Learn to monitor and treat for Varroa mites or plan for dead hives. They are likely in the top 3 for cause of a hive failure.
If possible find a local mentor. Try to find someone to let you tag along when they do a hive inspection.
I don't care for the entrance feeders and have shifted to frame feeders. I attribute the robbing that led to the failure of one of my hives to robbing (compounded by my ignorance) induced by entrance feeders. Another option is an in the hive feeder under a super, there are numerous options.

The first several times I went into my hives was a bit unnerving. It still is a little but not brain blanking anymore. Thousands of bees that are pissed off at the guy that is ransacking their house flying around and head butting your veil takes a bit of getting used to.

When you go into a hive have a specific goal and a general plan, be prepared to do something completely different.

If you've got questions ask away, I probably won't know the answer but might be able to help us find it.

Good luck and keep us updated.

[zahc]

Do people use queen excluders? I always had to use them or I got brood all mixed up with the honey. But I heard they hurt your production.

[RoadKingLarry]

Some do, some don't. I've heard them called "honey excluders" as well. I'm trying it without one to see how it goes, mostly because I don't have any yet.