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Swarms!

  • 19 Jun 2024 1:45 PM
    Reply # 13372221 on 13372213

    Hi, Mary,

    You have eight frame boxes.  It takes three deeps to have enough brood space when a person has eight frame boxes. Then a couple of supers on top of that. 

    You have so many, many crown blue jays that the chances of a virgin queen getting out to mate and safely returning will be less than average. You'll need to check in three weeks to see if you have a mated queen. Don't go in sooner than that.  

    It would be best if you can keep the second hive from swarming by doing an artificial swarm.  You find the queen and remove her and four or five frames to another box.  A single deep will take care of her for a few weeks. Then if the virgin queen in either box does not come back, you can merge the artificial swarm hive with the queenless colony using the newspaper method.  

  • 19 Jun 2024 1:25 PM
    Message # 13372213

    Today, one of my two hives swarmed to 50’ or higher into a nearby alder tree. It was a wonderful experience to watch & hear. I won’t be surprised if my second hive soon follows this example.

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