I believe I've read this in a few places - part of their swarming algorithm
is based on having lots of stores. If you reduce these, you may change
their behaviour from "one prime swarm plus several casts with virgin
queens" to "one prime swarm and the left behind virgins fight for the home
nest".
Another technique is to deliberately remove honeycomb from the edges of the
brood area to divert their energy to building more.
Paul
On Thu, 26 Mar 2020 at 18:05, Will H <whanrott@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
My hives have built up reserves so I anticipate quite a bit of swarming.
I have an idea that taking spring honey might interrupt preparations
swarming. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Will
On 26/03/2020 12:09, Oxnatbees wrote:
The NBU has posted some guidance regarding beekeeping during the COVID-19
pandemic:
COVID-19 and Beekeeping Update
<http://www.nationalbeeunit.com/downloadNews.cfm?id=170>
OBKA have made a few more points. Amalgamating these and some other
thoughts:
*Key points:*
- Swarms (1) - the NBU recommend you do all you can to minimise these.
Translation: regular invasive inspections; squash queen cells;
pre-emptively split colonies. This goes against our ethos of allowing the
bees to follow their natural lifecycle, and remember swarms are an
important part of parasite control because of the associated brood break.
And in my experience, splits don't stop swarms! Once the bees decide it is
time to swarm they will do so, and let's face it they will probably find a
suitable cavity somewhere. What you *can* do is set up your spare
empty hives asap, and when warm enough pre-emptively give your bees room to
expand into their existing hive by moving top bars (in TBHs) and adding
boxes (in vertical hives) which should reduce the number of swarms.
- Swarms (2) It should still be possible for some people to collect
these if they want to, observing suitable social distancing etc.
- Swarms (3) This season, we will still run a "swarms wanted" list but
we will have to do things a bit differently. For example if someone comes
to my house to pick up a swarm I have caught from my own hives, I will just
tell them where the box is and let them take it - but I don't plan to go
out and about as we have a vulnerable 84yr old with us.
- Maybe carry a copy of the NBU advice when travelling to an out
apiary just in case you are stopped by police.
This is going to be a very odd year and may accelerate the spread of
"survivor" traits due to more escaped swarms allowed to do their own thing.
Paul
