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melissabee Scout Bee
Joined: 17 Mar 2010 Posts: 272 Location: Germany, Bavaria
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:00 pm Post subject: Found a tiny swarm today - now what to do? |
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Hi there,
about an hour ago I found a tiny swarm hanging in a bush next to our house. There is a marked queen there and boy she is dark! Definitely no buckfast and no Carnica as well. Now they are in a slpit box in the basement, dark and cool. Going to feed them tomorrow.
But really, the swarm is tiny, kid's fist size maybe. Should I try with brood comb or are they too small in numbers to keep the brood warm? I don't want to combine as I want to see what bees come from that queen. Any suggestions?
Thank you so much,
melli |
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colobeekeep Scout Bee
Joined: 27 Aug 2010 Posts: 289 Location: USA, Colorado, Denver
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 6:54 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not an expert, and I've never been in this specific situation, so my advice/thoughts aren't based on experience with your specific situation.
Here's what I would do to try to help them make it through the winter.
Put them in a small hive Bo's with one or two combs from another hive; preferably two. One or both completely full of stores. Put swarm in the box with one or two combs. Feed it generously with sugar syrup. Feed hive from which you took combs.
Hope for the best. I think they need combs as quickly as possible, and may not have the energy and time to build them all out. Combs that provide some food and cells for brood rearing can help.
My colony that I removed from the wall of my house (and started me in beekeeping) was too small and didn't have enough stores to survive the winter (according to experienced beeks) survived the winter and flourished the following year. I was glad I didn't listen to them.
Let us know how it goes. |
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Quality Top Bar Hives by Andrew Vidler
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Conserving wild bees
Research suggests that bumble bee boxes have a very low success rate in actually attracting bees into them. We find that if you create an environment where first of all you can attract mice inside, such as a pile of stones, a drystone wall, paving slabs with intentionally made cavities underneath, this will increase the success rate.
Most bumble bee species need a dry space about the size a football, with a narrow entrance tunnel approximately 2cm in diameter and 20 cm long. Most species nest underground along the base of a linear feature such as a hedge or wall. Sites need to be sheltered and out of direct sunlight.
There is a spectacular display of wild bee hotels here
More about bumblebees and solitary bees here
Information about the Tree Bumblebee (Bombus hypnorum)
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