BBKA Forum

The fourth colony I inspected today was a bit of a puzzle....
The queenright half of a split, I last saw the queen two weeks ago when both I and the Bee Inspector noted 3 queencells. We decided to leave them as it seemed that supercedure was taking place. Today, I found two queencells empty and lost the third although for some days (in a very wet week) I have heard queens tooting.
Today's inspection was a dream although no open brood at all but the bees were absolutely calm - and I heard a tooting again.
One hour later they suddenly poured out and a swarm that was bigger than I imagined to be more than the entire hive to contain appeared overhead.
Too high to reach; so I settled into a comfy folding chair and watched as a few bees inspected the NUC I place as high as possible - but not really enough and at 5 p.m. I came in.......
So what was all the "OK, I am going in, you are on your own, take it or leave it, I don't care if you freeze up there...... "about

Oh dear

Did you not try panning?

What of the lost queencell?

Chrisbarlow wrote: ↑

11 Jul 2020, 18:24

Did you not try panning?

As in panning for gold???? What is panning?
I think what has happened is that this small colony has raised 3 QC - two I know are open and the third I thought was right next to one of the others but I didn't shake them off the frame (why I don't know )
The last week or 10 days has been very wet and with the return of decent weather they have decided to swarm as they weren't actually looking after any open brood and have loads of honey stores in the supers.....
The swarm is up high (virgin queen(s)?? Still there, I have one hive open for them and two poly-NUCs (one on the garage roof) with a bit of lemongrass oil. All within 10 metres.
I am just wondering if I can get a ladder up high enough to get to them with a pole and bucket........

Panning, hitting a pan to bring a swarm down? Americans call it tanging



https://www.beeculture.com/tanging-works-well-with-a-little-seed/

Got it

Went out after a quick cup of tea to find; they had gone.

I am not a vindictive beekeeper: but, if the lot left behind struggle to get queenright or to get strong enough - they are on their own. I don't have a place for genetically challenged bees bent on self-destruction. Fair's fair - they can keep more than enough honey but they have rejected attempts to unite another colony in the past so I am not wasting time on them.
I think they have annoyed me by their stupidity