Dear Member,

We are well into the swarming season as can be seen from the swarm map. Please continue to let Rowan know if you have collected a swarm so that we can make this as accurate a record as possible.

I collected a swarm this year that reminded me that swarm collection is also about paying attention to bees ‘normal’ behaviour as well as how their behaviour differs in swarming mode.

The swarm had collected along the trunk of a tree that had been pruned into a ‘lollipop’ shape and were right up in the foliage. I managed to get my swarm collection box on top of the ‘lollipop’ and then spent a long time smoking the bees from underneath to get them to move up into the box. Lesson - bees have a tendency to move upwards (why we wear boots) and they will move towards a dark space.

When collecting a swarm it is preferable to use a box or skep which will attract the bees or keep them in the box. Rubbing the inside with wax can encourage the bees into the box. It is not necessary to have old comb in your swarm collection box - this can be used to attract bees into a bait hive, but just gets in the way of hiving the swarm.

Also when bees swarm they seem to lose their homing mechanism so the 3 ft / 3 mile rule ceases to operate. This means that if your bees swarm in your garden it is still possible to re-hive them in your apiary.

Remember once you have most of the bees in the box to invert it near the swarm site with a wedge to allow the bees to enter, and then if possible return at dusk to collect the bees once the majority of foraging bees have returned to the box. This ensures that you do not have a host of bees flying around the swarm site the following day with yet another call from the householder concerned about a second ‘swarm’.

I have also observed that in line with Gail’s request mentioned in last month’s newsletter that when my bees swarmed they did indeed swarm towards the West even though their entrance pointed East.

If you are hiving a swarm on new comb, do feed them after 48 hours especially if the weather prevents them from flying, but also keep an eye on what is happening in the hive as if you feed too much they will fill the frames with stored syrup and this will reduce the queen’s space to lay and of course reduce the build up of the colony.

This time of the year also provides perfect conditions to melt wax in your solar wax extractor. Take advantage of the warm sunshine to melt wax in old frames and collected brace comb. Even if you do not want to use the wax to make candles or cosmetics for yourself or to sell, the wax is valuable as trade for foundation. Remember it takes the bees an awful lot of flight time and effort to collect nectar to convert into wax, so don’t waste it!

Cathy has circulated the information about the lecturettes at Stoneleigh in June. Try if you can to go along to some of these. They are an excellent way of picking up information about beekeeping and demonstrating support for the candidates from across the country who are undertaking the bee husbandry assessments. The dates are:

June 9th June 10th June 11th June 17th June 18th June 23rd June 24th June 25th. The lectures start at 10.00am and continue until 11.00am

Don’t forget the Dunchurch Fete on the 17th June. Contact Rowan Moore if you can help out or come along and support the village in its fundraising efforts. Lovely cakes and plants on sale!

Also don’t forget to come along to the Branch Apiary on the first Saturday of the month, 2.00pm, to get the chance of seeing other hives in action and maybe learning few new manipulations into the bargain.

Regards,

Margaret Holdsworth