Swarm Prevention Strategies

Intro

including reference to Ian Steppler YouTube video just posted on varroa treatments, using Randy Oliver spreadsheet model. https://youtu.be/Z2FLoAq6LDc

02:20 Recent apiary inspection of nucleus colonies

03:50 What causes swarming?

06:40 Impossible to eliminate, but we can influence

07:10 Genetics, personal experience, Paul Horton's bees, sub-species

11:25 Queen pheromones, age of queens

12:35 Brood nest congestion

15:10 Climate and weather

16:30 Poor weather in spring 2024 reduced swarming

18:20 Prevention rather than control of swarming

20:20 Selective breeding, selective pressure - leaving a single queen cell in a swarmed colony pushes it in the wrong direction, using cells/queens from breeding program is better, using over-wintered queens

24:55 Re-queening, younger queens are less likely to swarm

26:20 Gruff Rees YouTube interview "No Weekly Inspections" with David Wainwright - a less intensive style of beekeeping

28:40 Regular hive inspections 7 to 10 day rotation, checking for eggs, space for bees, space for queen to lay, swarm cells

30:50 Space for bees, brood, and stores. Staying ahead of the bees. Supering.

33:15 Frame swapping, making splits or cell builders, space in a Langstroth brood box

37:20 Reversing boxes, double brood, brood and a half

40:00 Adding a brood box of foundation overhead, then splitting, combined with oxalic mite treatment

43:55 Demaree, adding space while keeping the colony together - not a split. Lots of heavy lifting, might be problematic with foundation in the bottom box and the changeable UK weather

49:00 What works for one person may not work for the next person

49:40 Checkerboarding, small book on the subject published by Northern Bee Books

53:45 Summary

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