Today it was the primary swarm from the nuc I got from Allen last year. This is the nuc that had a queen from his nuc yard rather than the purchased California queen. Kristien and I attempted to box the swarm twice but because they had clustered under the pallet hive stand we were unable to get all the bees. Ed came to the rescue with his bee vac.
The swarm will find it’s new home in Dorothea’s garden.
The Q1 (in three mediums in the picture) seems to be queenless. They are officially pissy (ornery, defensive, e*%l (Kristien doesn’t like me to describe them with that word!). Today they stung Kristien, me and my neighbor. Earlier they’ve tagged Ken and Andrew. Once I get them closed up, Kristien will tame them at her yard.
Stay tuned tomorrow. It looks like there’s a potential swarm a brewing in the Swarm cut out from Mel (in 6 mediums on the right).
Do you think the Q1 Sally 2 hive is queenless just because of their disposition? Surely you haven’t gone through the hive looking for her. I suppose Kristien could introduce a new strong queen and hope for the best. I wish her lots of luck with that hive.
And why do you think the thrice-supered hive will swarm? I can’t believe that you have three supers full of honey. If so, I bow to your prowess and expertise. It would be a shame to lose that queen. Ah yes, just another swarm in Liz’s paradise.
Kristien has diagnosed them as queenless. I have not approached them I think her plan is to tear them down and reassemble them as nucs with a frame of brood from elsewhere. Is that right, Kristien?
Regarding the Mel Swarm colony, they just seem really congested. It could be that I’ve seen so many swarms recently that every bunch of bees I see looks like a potential swarm.