Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Keeping your colonies equal in strength
This can be done in two ways. You can move frames of brood from strong colonies in
danger of overcrowding to weaker colonies, or you can swap the positions of weak and
strong hives. This latter manipulation can also be quite effective on hives that are near
to swarming. In both cases you should ensure that both colonies are free from disease,
otherwise you risk the chance of spreading it. You must also make sure the weaker hives
aren't weak because of some disease, otherwise you are wasting your time and your
bees.
The idea, generally, is again to ensure that strong hives are relieved of overcrowding
pressure while, at the same time, helping colonies that are building up slowly. Evening
up your hives is, in any case, a good strategy. Hives with even numbers of bees tend to
'do things' at more or less the same time and make apiary management much easier.
Ventilating your hives
Good hive ventilation goes a long way to lessen the swarming impulse if other methods
are employed as well. Ensure that your entrances are appropriate for the time of year;
that in really hot climates your lids are painted white; and that you use a stainless-steel
mesh floor - which can also help in varroa control (see Chapter 10). The use of shade
boards over the hive entrance is also a good idea in hot climates.
Controlling swarming
But what if you have missed all the signs and you look in your crowded hive one day
during the swarming season and find queen cells? You've left it a little late but you can
at least step in here to ensure the inevitable swarm will stay in your apiary in one of
your hives and not fly off to some neighbour! Check to see if your colony has already
swarmed (a good reason for having marked queens). If it hasn't or if it has and is still
very populous, you can carry out the following manipulations.
The artificial swarm (1)
This involves splitting a hive into two colonies. It is easily done:
Place a brood box on a floor on top of the existing hive, with the entrance facing
the opposite way to the hive, or place it nearby in the apiary.
