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Wed, 22 May 2002 08:20:23 -0400 |
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Re-combining swarms. Due to my inexperience in beekeeping, and especially southern beekeeping, I induced a swarm from a nuc that I had recently purchased. I was ignorant of the honey flow around here early in the season and allowed the nuc to become packed with honey. By the time I discovered it, the colony was making their own plans. The colony was placed in a standard deep with what I thought was plenty of room, but the queen cells I noticed at that time told the tale. I destroyed them at the time I moved the bees into their new digs, but as I have read in a number of spaces, they had made up their minds and were leaving. Sure enough, the next day they were off!
Well, as much as I was kicking myself for my sloppy beekeeping, I was very pleased that they chose to issue forth right in front of me! It was incredible. I waited till they settled on a branch and re-hived them. Re-hiving a swarm is definitely a terrific experience. They are drinking syrup and pulling foundation with great speed. The group they left behind is doing well also. Both groups cover approximately 4-5 frames.
I would prefer not to make any increases at this time and would like to re-combine the colonies. I was originally thinking about finding the new queen, if I did not kill her when removing cells, and eliminating her (the old queen is still young and produces fine brood, and I hold myself accountable for the swarming, not her genetics and such) as she may not be of the finest quality. Then I was going to use the newspaper method to re-combine.
My concern is that there will be 4-5 complete frames in the upper and lower boxes, and 4-5 partially drawn frames in each box, i.e. foundation below part of the brood nest. I am told that this is a no-no. Of course I could always come back in a week or so later and move the frames around so as to have the least drawn frames up in the upper box.
Any comments? or advice?
Keith
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