The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Bees & Beekeeping => Topic started by: Daisy-at-the-dairy on April 04, 2011, 12:08:49 am

Title: Earliest Swarm?
Post by: Daisy-at-the-dairy on April 04, 2011, 12:08:49 am

I checked my bees today and found one colony had swarmed!!  There were no eggs to be seen so the queen must have been gone  3 days, making her date of departure possibly April Fool's day?  I like to think so.

Be warned folks.  I carried out my first check 10 days ago, March 26th and found brood on 5 frames plus plenty of stores.  I was a bit concerned about space so put a super on and then left them to it.  No queens cells or cups seen - or so I thought. Why did i not check within the week? Because I thought it was too early in the year to disturb them again quite so soon.  In previous years I've started regular checks early and been rewarded with foul tempered bees, which I was assured could be down to inspecting too early. Big mistake! 

My main hope now is that I'll get a nice new queen from one of the two queen cells I left in and the colony will build up in time to take advantage of late summer flows.  I really hope so as this was a lovely colony, given to me as a nuke by a friend towards the end of last season and they were building up so promisingly.

Proof again that the bees havn't read the same books I've read, and that they are always one jump ahead of the beekeeper - this beekeeper at any rate!

Anyone else had any super-early swarms, given this fine, dry spring weather we've been having over much of the country?

Title: Re: Earliest Swarm?
Post by: Beewyched on April 04, 2011, 05:05:08 pm

Hiya Daisy from West Scotland  :wave:

I'm just starting to keep my own bees after moving here last year, I used to help my dad with his for years & never heard of swarming this early - are you sure they won't come buzzing back yelling "April Fool"  :bee:  ;D
I'm building-up from a nuc at the moment &, the same as you, only been peeking in between showers & gales  ::)  hope your remaining lots build back up ok - they've got enough time thankfully.

Title: Re: Earliest Swarm?
Post by: Greenerlife on April 04, 2011, 05:19:08 pm

Wow!  That is early!  I thought last year my first swarm was early in the third week of April.  Checked mine over a week ago now, and I am panicking after reading your post!