Swarming or Honey Production… walking the line

[@johniac7078]

Walking the line big time this year. Caught a hive getting ready to swarm yesterday. It was exciting to say the least. Nics vid, thanks.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

They are unpredictable at times

[@WillieSams]

You are a good teacher troy I do like all your video and keep making more for us beginner

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Thank you! Lots more to come.

[@keithspillman]

Enjoyed the video. I'm in the foothills of NC and managing much like you.....the fine line between strong and gone!!! Supers are on and the poplars will be rolling in a couple of weeks. Good luck to us all!!!

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Thanks for watching Keith. I’ll start checking the production hives from the top only now to not slow em down. I’ll probably use those nucs to draw out some comb to have next year.

[@keithspillman]

@@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6 I also like to keep my nucs stuffed with foundation. Those are hard working little colonies!!!

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Good video. Ya we do not know if we are correct or not it is always a guess . Thanks

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

There’s so much variability in beekeeping

[@rtxhoneybees]

Very organized and intentional. I like it. Have you considered replacing the old queen with a newly mated queen after the flow starts. Basically, switching them out. I know you'd be disrupting them, but it might pay off. I dont have a ton of experience, but ive seen young queens overtake old queens late in the season. Another approach would be moving frames of capped brood from the younger queen nucs. It sure is fun to try and figure out. Good luck to you.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Thank ya sir. I appreciate that. My dad and I started at the same time and did everything the same except for me being in the hives a lot more. He made a lot more honey than I did so now I stay out, after the splits, for the most part. I have heard that a hive will accept a laying queen that could possibly be added without too much disturbance. I’ll add brood to any production hive that’s not keeping up and then requeen them later. My queen game is definitely the weakest part of what I’m doing. Hoping to get most of them changed out this year to reduce a lot of the variability in my operation.

[@Steele_Wings]

I couldn't split so I have been catching swarms. I split the queen cells of the colony that swarmed. I have been lucky so far. This crazy cold weather in mid 30's delayed splits.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Everything came early this year. Lot of people having swarms around here. Seems to have started full force today.

[@marklove2022]

Everything is early this year in southern Indiana too. Isolated queens today to graft from on Friday. When does your main flow normally start?

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

@@marklove2022 we usually make the most honey of the year in the 1st or 2nd week of May but it varies.

[@yvonnewagner5322]

I put the lid on upside down if I have to walk away to get more frames or whatever. Do a quick glance before leaving and can see if something isn’t done

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

I usually don’t close em up with being full of frames cause I know I’ll forget. I’m just glad that was the only one.

[@timmorris7022]

I have a colony ive split twice already and shes already layed up tge top and capped brood .Should have made another split saturday but instead added a drawn super.Watching your video got me thinking i need to go back in the morning and make another split .I noticed you dont shake bees .Thats interesting because ive always shook a frame to add some foragers.I really like this video ,best one yet.At what point do u pull supers? Thanks always for posting ,it helps !

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

I didn’t shake them down in this video because I was on a pinch for time. Luckily I was able to find all the queens so I feel good about it. All the splits this year were taken to another apiary so that eliminated the need to shake in more bees. If I would have left them in this yard, I would have shaken in 4 frames of bees which would have eliminated some of the extra splits. I’ll start pulling supers as soon as they’re full this year. Got a lot of demand for honey and I feel like they made more last year when I put wet supers back on the hives.

[@timmorris7022]

@@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6 the balance and timing is a skill only developed from experience.Im working on it and seems like every hive is not the same.Its all swarm management until the main flow starts.Would you say May 1 is a good target date or now?Mine are drawing comb and storing nectar in my give area.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

@@timmorris7022 the most honey I’ve ever made in one week is the second week of May so as far as the main flow here I feel that’s it and we’re early on it this year. Every year is a little different. Last year, where I am, we had a three week dearth in May and thought it was over till they fired back up. It’s hard to predict and it’s even affected by last years rainfall. Lots of variables.

[@timmorris7022]

@@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6 im finding its not easy to recognize the main flow .Whats a signature indicator? I had a huge tulip poplar flow last year but i just mismanaged my hives or i would have had more honey.I was disappointed .Only got 9 gals after i had made several mistakes .Five hives .This year i have 11 .I work still on swing shift.Im at my max until i retire.I cant wait

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

@@timmorris7022I just look at what they’ve made over time and watch the conditions for the current year. If I miss it, I’d rather be on the, split too much, side. This way I have more bees and may not make as much honey as they could have. If I don’t split enough, I could lose the bees and definitely will lose the surplus honey production.

[@bobyoung803]

Got a sworm in April 27 2023 and got 4an half. Gal of honay

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

Thanks for watching. I know it happens, I just feel like it’s rare and you can’t depend on it if you want to make a lot of surplus honey. I’m not saying that you do but a some people will take all that they have and not leave the bees with enough honey for winter.

[@marklove2022]

When does your main flow normally start?

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

1st week of May….. usually

[@marklove2022]

We're about 40 miles west of Louisville in southern Indiana. Poplar bloom is normally from mid May to mid June or so, and hopefully no late frost or too much rain.

[@troysimpsonhoneyridgefarm6]

@@marklove2022 so hard to predict. My mentor 20 years ago had a list of how many brood frames he wanted on certain dates.