Hi Dave-

> This is a little late in the year for swarms, though.
> In July / not worth a fly, while not gospel, may have some truth
> in it.

The author of that little poem obviously didn't keep bees in Alberta,
where almost all swarms come in July. I have yet to see any signs of
swarming from my 2008 hives, although most are very big and powerful. I
have seen no snooping around my bait hives, even though I've done
everything but spread out a red carpet for them. We are between the
dandelion and clover flows, but they are still bringing in much nectar,
I believe from the abundant caragana bushes.
Whatever swarms do eventually issue will quite likely be monsters.

Regards
John



--- In warrebeekeeping@..., Dave Thorn <davet@...> wrote:
>
> Installed a small swarm[1] into my first Warre this afternoon.
> It wasn't quite finished when I got the call out yesterday
> afternoon so spent the morning hurriedly finishing off. It's
> only one box right now, but they're crowded into just one corner,
> so there's plenty of space. The roof should go on tomorrow - if
> the oil is dry.
>
> This is a little late in the year for swarms, though.
> In July / not worth a fly, while not gospel, may have some truth
> in it. This swarm does seem fairly small, so I'm thinking I
> should maybe feed it, and/or perhaps shake in some nurse bees
> from my stronger Kenyan TBH, to supplement their workforce?
>
> A dish, of sugar syrup (I have no honey of my own right now),
> with straw in it seems to be a popular way to feed a warre?
>
> I have reason to believe these are feral bees, so I'm
> particularly keen for them to survive. I know it seems
> contradictory - to want ferals (for their survival tendency),
> but then to want to support them.
>
> ISTR David still has a swarm from late in the year a couple of
> years ago? And we're having a good summer so far.
>
>
> [1] http://www.fysh.org/~davet/images/bees/swarm3/100_4879_800x600.jpg
>
> --
> dave thorn
> 3x Kenyan TBH
> 1x Warre
> Essex, UK
>