Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Patrick Thomas]

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A good sampling of the insanity that happens in my back yard within a 24-hour span:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fquyCXZCy74


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[ingo50]

Hi Patrick. Fun and games trying to put the queen into the clip with one hand! When is the main swarming season in Florida. Nice quality video.

[Patrick Thomas]

[Barbara]

Hi Patrick

Always nice to watch bee activity when we have little or none.

Do you know why they absconded from the Warre? Or were you meaning that the Warre had thrown a swarm? I also didn't understand why you gave them brood and stores if they were a swarm or even an absconder that clearly had a queen unless of course you moved it from the hive they absconded from?

Also there appear to be lots of small insects that can be seem crawling over and inside the home made lang bait hive when you lift the lid and I wondered if they were small hive beetle or ants or something else? As you know we don't have small hive beetle yet, but I'm keen to get my eye in so that I know what I'm looking for when it happens.

Regards

Barbara

[Patrick Thomas]

Barbara,

Sorry so late in getting back to you.

Yes, the Warre' absconded. Even though they left behind some bees, I'm counting it as an abscond because they didn't have any queen cells built or even started. I shored-up the Warre' with additional supplies so they could carry on and raise a new queen without struggling.

I gave the swarm in the new nuc some supplies to entice them to stay and to give them momentum. It also ensures they build straight comb on the foundationless frames because of the combs I rubber-banded in.

Regarding the insects you witnessed on the bait hive I had recently brought home, yes, those were small black ants. I did a full cut-out and comb-straightening of that bait hive the following day and found a best of those ants inside on the bottom. I dealt with them in an appropriate and swift fashion...Lol.

Thanks so much for watching and commenting.
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[Patrick Thomas]

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Here's a short update-video on the cut-out/comb-straightening and split I did with the oddball bait hive:

https://youtu.be/mr1_ovdi4N8

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