MedusA Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 One of our allotment colonies is behaving weirdly and I'd appreciate some advice. It was a nuc swarm earlier this year and were bursting at the seams so we moved them up to a full hive just over 2 months ago. Then the queen went off lay for weeks but started up again so we thought all was well and they would build up enough to survive winter. We put our varroa treatment on and started feeding for all the allotment colonies a few weeks back. All seemed OK until Sunday when we noticed what looked like a swarm clustered on the front of this hive just below the roof. We got the "swarm" in a box and decided we'd try and unite it with the colony in the hive to bump up the numbers. However, when we opened the hive it was virtually empty - as in hardly any bees, brood or stores! Anyway, we concluded that the swarm must be the bees from that hive and put them back in, including the queen. We put a QE under the brood box to try and prevent her escaping. They've got feed on but 3 days later there is still a persistent, if smaller, cluster back out on the front. I'm at a loss as to what else we could do for them. One of the experienced beeks at our BKA says he can't think of anything else to do, but if there isn't brood or stores they will be doomed, which is what I thought he'd say. It's such a pity as they seemed such a promising colony at nuc level. That's beekeeping for you. Never a dull moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 No advice to offer you I'm afraid. We did have a similar situation in June or July this year with a persistent 'swarm' on the outside of a broodbox for 2 or 3 days which turned out to be our own bees - they did swarm to a hedge on Day1, then disappeared and we assumed they'd gone. Then I discovered them back in the box and for the next few days they would come out and hang around on the outside of the box (not the full colony). Eventually they did go back in and reproduced, and produced honey. But of course it was warm then. One thing I do remember is that they weren't as chilled as a swarm normally is - they were quite feisty, probably because they weren't a proper swarm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 Thanks Daphne, it's good to know that this isn't totally unique behaviour. This "swarm" were very calm and we didn't need to smoke them at all. There were a few fliers when we brushed them into the box but no attempts to sting. The only other thing I can think of is to maybe pour some syrup onto the empty combs to encourage them. There are small patches of brood and stores but they are very small indeed. I have very little hope for this colony but I'm not giving up on them just yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixie chick Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Could it be their reaction to the varroa treatment? My colonies both came out of their hives when I put the Apilife Var into the hives and they stayed out for a couple of days until they got used to the fumes ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Could the colony have been robbed out and this was a starvation swarm? Can you put them in a nuc box, dummy down further and steal a frame of brood with nurse bees for them? Just spray both with perfume and feed with fondant or perhaps neopoll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MedusA Posted October 14, 2011 Author Share Posted October 14, 2011 They have gone back in the hive now and are taking some feed. I don't think it will be enough though, so may put some fondant on. I could try putting them back in the nuc and overwintering in that. It may be worth trying. Thanks for the advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
