A talk by Michael Hunt of
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Date:
Thursday 5th
April 2001
Venue: Church Rooms, Stow on the Wold
Michael pointed out that until recently skep beekeeping was the basis of the craft and for this swarming was essential. The natural swarming behaviour of bees would have been selected for and therefore maintained in the population. Since the arrival of moveable frame hives, swarming is no longer an advantage to the beekeeper, but our bees still possess this habit. Michael then explained that recent weather had been problematic. In year 2000, February and March were dry and warm, and there was widespread swarming. This year we have had a cold and wet winter.
A method of Spring examination which left the bees almost undisturbed was explained. By removing the crown board the state of the colony could be assessed. If they occupied 5 frames or les they required no extra space. If they occupied 7 or 8 frames, then they might need more space soon. If they occupied ten or more frames, then they should be given more space immediately. This could be done by placing a queen excluder over the brood chamber. An open crown board is then added beneath a super of drawn comb (or foundation). Michael advocates marking the queens in early spring when there are fewer bees. One wing should be clipped at the same time and he suggests that beginners practise on drones.
Swarms can leave when there is just an egg in a queen cell and not necessarily only when the queen cell is capped. If queen cells with eggs or brood are found then swarm prevention can be carried out. A new brood box with drawn comb or foundation is set up on the hive site. Bees (including the queen) are shaken into the new brood box and each frame examined for queen cells which are destroyed. One frame of sealed brood is added to the new brood box. A queen excluder is added and then the supers. Bees in the supers are not disturbed. An open crown board is added and the original brood box containing the original brood frames is placed on top and closed with a second crown board. This method keeps the colony intact as a unit and ensures the best honey crop. If methods that separate the top box are used then honey production is lost. Two supers are necessary to provide sufficient separation between the old and new brood chambers.
In ten days time, the top brood chamber is examined. If queen cells have been drawn out then a nucleus can be taken and the remaining queen cells destroyed. The new queen can be used to replace the new queen.
Swarming can be anticipated by adding an extra super with the foundation above an open crown board on top of the brood chamber and occupied supers. If the foundation is being drawn then the bees are not swarming. If the bees have dropped away from this top super then swarming is likely to occur. Swarm prevention can be combined with queen rearing. This should start in six weeks (i.e. mid May) if the weather permits.
Michael was asked whether the crop should be extracted during the season or at the end. In town this is not necessary, but if the bees have been working rape then this should be extracted immediately. Michael warned that due to the changeable weather last year mating was generally very poor in 2000. We should therefore expect drone layers and queenless colonies to occur this year. Where there is a large queen but no brood then this could be due to an egg bound queen. He also warned that small queens can be good queens while large queens can be drone layers.
Quotable quotes:
“My first three years of beekeeping was a disaster… I sat down in the winter months…What am I doing wrong?…I had read the books but I had not read the bees.”
“I work with the bees instead of against them.”
“This year will be easier.”