Demaree Swarm ! My Demaree swarm control split failed but I stopped the swarm in time.

[@davidlaing7684]

I’ve used the Demarre method for three years and tripled my honey production. I learned from the Bee Wisperer.

[@BugFarmerBees]

It' has produced a lot of honey for me thus far.

[@KenBlackRifleAmerica]

Hello my friend, I'm back! Always wonderful to see the awesome bee keeping right here on the Bug Farmer!! We're still Bee (ing) Happy!!

[@BugFarmerBees]

I was getting concerned about you. No new video in a while. My Saturday coffee just didn't taste the same 🙂

[@BellsFarming]

My husband and I really enjoy your channel. You put a lot of work into your videos and they are great! Keep doing what you’re doing! -Bellsfarming Maine

[@BugFarmerBees]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate your recognition. You are why I do this. Thank you.

[@daveb8598]

Thank you for showing everything you do, including the mistakes! I learned today that a queen bee might just fly out of the hive if you bother her too much, I had no idea. 2nd year beekeeping with a couple bee barns now and some regular langstroth setups.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Fortunately she flew back in :-)

[@randyjames1465]

Thank you for the VIDEO

[@BugFarmerBees]

No..... Thank you. so much for sharing your time with me and stopping in to have a look. I really do appreciate you.

[@KajunHomestead]

Great video, Loved every min.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Thank you so much. I really appreciate you.

[@tomcrynock37]

I was camera shy, that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it lol.

[@apveening]

LOL

[@BugFarmerBees]

Ha! I was out there today and had to give hive 13 another box. She has 4 full boxes already and is capping away. That is by far my strongest hive!

[@jimjim7708]

I love how it's not just me. Thanks for the great video.

[@BugFarmerBees]

You are welcome :-)

[@lindagray5857]

Bug farmer, you must be the luckiest fellow in the world. Found your queens during a swarm.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I know. I could have lost a TON of bees had I not been there. It could have been sooooo bad. All-in-all the swarm was my fault for leaving queen cells or teacups in that box. Next week you will see a huge swarm leave hive #12 and I wasn't there to stop them :-(

[@claybunner1059]

I agree with you it’s one of the many ways to split a hive. Mine swarmed but they went back to the hive because the queen couldn’t get past the excluder. Not sure why they didn’t try to use the top entrance. It’s amazing how well they can hide the queen cells. Beautiful sheets of brood. That was a good idea to checkerboard those frames. Let us know how #13 works out. It would be neat to follow. Great video!

[@BugFarmerBees]

I say Mike Barry do something the other day with a NUC he created after a storm. He actually placed a queen excluder under the bottom box which looks to me like a sure fire way to keep the hive from swarming. It would have to be opened from time to time to let the drones out though. I may set up a test hive next spring to give it a shot.

[@claybunner1059]

I turned my inner cover to the back of the hive so they can go in and out without going through the whole hive. I also added a second brood chamber to see if that helps with them wanting to so swarm so quickly.

[@danlieter5673]

Another great video.. A Demaree, a vertical split, a modified vertical or whatever it may be I don’t think George Demaree cares anymore, the fact of the matter is they are all trying to achieve the same outcome and that's to separate the brood and nurse bees from the Queen and work force. 😂😂😂

[@BugFarmerBees]

It has created a few massive colonies in my bee yard. Some of the splits have been restored to original configuration since. You will see in upcoming videos.

[@eliinthewolverinestate6729]

I use nematodes around the apiary. The nematodes get the beetles during pupation. Pupation occurs when the larvae metamorphose into an adult beetle. They will burrow 2-8” (5-20cm) under the ground and build a pupation chamber. At this point, they are most vulnerable to attack by birds and other predators.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Every-time I hear the word nematodes I think of frogs for some reason. :-)

[@robinb1451]

Can't wait to hear what you do with the 2 queens

[@apveening]

Same here.

[@BugFarmerBees]

The smallone got the old pinch-a-rooo and the big one was inserted into a small NUC and now lives on the back bench at the house :-)

[@balmoralpjk]

Did you get stung? If so, where??

[@BugFarmerBees]

I don't recall if I was stung in that video. I don't think so.

[@BlanchardsBees]

Wow 3 queens! 🐝🐝🐝

[@BugFarmerBees]

Just like the Christmas song.... Well, in the song they were queens. Oh, while I have you here, we loved your eclipse video.

[@BlanchardsBees]

@BugFarmerBees well thank you! I think it's better watching it at 🐝2x the speed💨

[@jimwaldele9084]

morning, i agree, it is a split if you dont keep eye on it,, what an easy wo to make some queen use the effort they put into it and double up on that geneics,,keep up the great video,,ty jim

[@BugFarmerBees]

The demaree does make a ton of queen cells in the upper box.

[@Tinycreekbeecompany]

I have heard that a good way to practice holding and marking queens is to practice marking drones. You may try that before the next queen decides not to come back lol 😂

[@apveening]

And use next year's colour when doing so. It is unlikely there still is a queen around with that colour and that way you avoid confusion (as those drones definitely won't be around next year).

[@BugFarmerBees]

What a great idea!!!! Holy cow. I don't know why I never thought of that. Thank you!

[@davidsoloninka7742]

I 100% agree with you and your logic in calling it a Demaree split. Don't pay any attention to people giving you grief in the comments. You're doing a great job and I am learning a lot from you. I am still a novice and learning a-lot (starting my 3rd year). I'm trying the Demaree Split this year. I have manipulated 4 hives thus far and plan to do two more. I assume you've had success in the past with Demaree?... Did u get a lot more honey? Thx. PS I'm in SE Ohio, you?

[@BugFarmerBees]

Actually this is my first attempt with the Demaree method. We can figure it out together :-)

[@kh7794]

I watch more than my fair share of videos about bees, esp swarming. Many are virgin queen(s). Actually, I think most of them are with new or virgin queens now that I think about it. The most detailed ones, obviously, aren't African or Africanized swarms due to their nature and are from Miss, Alabama, Arkansas etc. Many from Cali and Texas as well. Don't know if that helps but I'm fascinated by swarms and love the march so I don't miss many as long as the videos are clear. Anyway, that's what my experience as a couch master has shown me :)

[@BugFarmerBees]

Thank you. All bow to the Couch Master :-)

[@vincentsabol2267]

I did a Demarest a week ago and no bees in the 2 supers good population in bottom and top box any thoughts

[@BugFarmerBees]

make sure you have an upper entrance so the drones can get out and keep your eyes peeled for queen cells. I have experienced bees in the brood box storing hone and causing a honey bound situation. I think I have it under control now. I think it was caused because I used blank foundation in the brood chamber as opposed to drawn comb. All of that said, I have one hive with 4 full boxes of honey already. :-)

[@14623carolanne]

Hey Fred 👋 Confused...Trying to figure out if I'm supposed to put honey supers on hives running out of room or an extra brood box till i can split. ? We just got dandelions here.. On the few good days and I litterly mean two or three days in the last two weeks, tons of pollen from cottonwood and weeping willow trees. Still freezing at night too cold to open hives during the day. My weather app goes to next Sat. all freezing nights and no days above 50. Last week I saw queen cups pratice in two hives. I run a deep and med for brood. Seeing brood in deeps and med may have a fist full of capped drones..Only saw like 4 drones flying around 10 hives. Not being able to get in the hives not sure if I should be feeding. Most of my hives were empty first inspection..second inspection started seeing some nectar in cells. Can I use frames where brood was last year in honey supers? I'm seeing a hand full of bees foraging at 42 degrees overcast windy. Very wierd Thanks Fred!

[@BugFarmerBees]

The beauty of beekeeping is you can do all of the above. Every spring the bees are going to want to swarm and the best way to prevent it is to make sure the queen has somewhere to lay while you are waiting for the flow to begin. That is why I am trying the Demaree swarm control method this year. Thus far I have only had 4 swarms this season which isn't bad. You might try checker boarding drawn frames if you have them into the brood box. Basically insert an empty frame between two fully laid frames. You can also add another box to the brood chamber. As for the old brood frames in a honey super, yes, they can be used in honey supers. Just be careful when you store them at the end of the season because wax moths will be attracted to any frame that ever contained brood.

[@claybunner1059]

I was wondering the same thing if you could give them another brood chamber. I may try that on a couple of mine tomorrow. I’ve had that happen before but she got out of the marking cage and flew away. Beekeeping never goes the way you think it will.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I have added an extra brood box to some of my larger colonies. When they earn it they get it :-)

[@CentralKyBees]

Cant believe she ended up back in the hive. By the way, i have a video of how i wax my frames. It puts most of the way on top of the cells and not so much down in them. It helps the bees draw them out a lot faster and cleaner.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I was soooooo lucky. I could have lost her to the ether.

[@CentralKyBees]

@@BugFarmerBees 😂

[@robertlewis3336]

Well I guess you need to hop up to Gatlinburg & ride one of those tourists helicopters. Probably your closest opportunity.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I love Gatlinburg and the Severeville area. I didn't know they had helicopter rides. I'm in!

[@robertlewis3336]

@@BugFarmerBees Search "gatlinburg helicopter rides". I did & had several pop up.

[@ibelieve722]

The active ingredient in Grub ex does affect honey bees. "Comparative effects of technical and formulated chlorantraniliprole to survivorship and locomotor activity of the honey bee, Apis mellifera (L.): Chlorantraniliprole effects on survivorship and locomotion in honey bees" April 2020 Pest Management Science 76(8) DOI:10.1002/ps.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Thanks for the info. It rained the night after i spread it around so I am confident the bees will be fine. I really do appreciate the information you provided and will research further. Thanks a bunch.

[@apveening]

You are lucky the queen flew back to the box. However, as laying queens don't fly, flying queens don't lay, so I'd say she hasn't started laying (yet). Depending on her exact age, she may still be doing mating flights, but otherwise I'd say it isn't a good sign. I would recommend keeping those two queens (or three if you manage to capture that small swarm) in nucs or even two frame boxes as reserves, you may need them.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I just checked today and that queen is laying. It has been about two weeks since that video was filmed so I am certain she flew a couple passes through the drone layer in the sky :-)

[@apveening]

@@BugFarmerBees Thanks for the update.

[@jweaver7170]

I took adv ice and put spacer with holes above queen exc. bees hatched and they are using the frame for honey. I was going to take spacer off but bees are using to store nectar. Thanks for the response and advise.

[@BugFarmerBees]

What kind of spacer? It has been my experience that my bees will always back-fill old broof frames if I move them above the queen excluder.

[@jweaver7170]

@@BugFarmerBees 3/4 in with 3/8 in holes for the drones to hatch and escape

[@BugFarmerBees]

@@jweaver7170 Do you know of a video I can watch to see exactly what you are referring to?

[@jweaver7170]

@@BugFarmerBees Darn so many good channels I thought it was you. It was about the Demaree procedure.3/8 Hole in 3/4 in spacer for the drone bees to get out after they hatched.

[@richardrbrynerjr.7912]

George Tiebirius DeMaree split OK A?

[@BugFarmerBees]

Yes, It was Captain Kirk's Fathers' brother. Uncle George. :-)

[@jerryhemphill4658]

Take the gloves off before you try to catch the queen

[@apveening]

I was about to recommend same.

[@BugFarmerBees]

Lesson learned. I will try to catch one like that and paint her by the end of the season. I really think it is a new skill I need to acquire.

[@sndgo1]

When you were going to mark the queen at the end of the video, why did you mark her by holding her in a clip like every other beekeeper I've seen does? We know you had a clip.

[@BugFarmerBees]

I have never tried that before. Heck, I didn't even know it was a thing. Thanks, I'll look into it and may try it in the future.

[@kh7794]

In the last hive (enigma), unless you didn't show it or I missed it, you could have left that frame with a queen cell chewed out but 4 intact. Hopefully I just missed you destroying them or else your getting 4 queens and a swarm or 4

[@BugFarmerBees]

I am certain those cells were dead. They were abandoned by the bees so chances are hey were stabbed by the virgin in the box. I have since ben back and they have been torn down and the queen is laying :-)

[@johncoleman6218]

I’ve seen more Demaree “manipulations” fail than I’ve seen succeed. It seems like way too much work and actually encourages queen cell production. I tried it myself and the colony abandoned the upper brood box. I don’t know why we keep trying this really labor intensive high failure procedure, except if we get the top box to produce queen cells to actually split off to their own colony….

[@BugFarmerBees]

I think I may try a different approach to it next year. I think I will move all of the brood except for a frame for the queen directly above the queen excluder. That should completely empty the brood box yet allow the bee to know they have a queen. Always trying new things. :-)

[@snoopypeanut8938]

Try taking your gloves off to catch a queen!

[@BugFarmerBees]

Yep. That is the plan next time :-)

[@johncoleman6218]

“Demaree swarm encouragement method”

[@BugFarmerBees]

To be honest I have had exponentially fewer swarms this season than last but the work load is ten fold higher than typical splits. I think I will do the demaree on some hives next year but not all of them.