Beelistener Reader Reports.
Colin Ridley writes, “The previous posting of The Bee Listener considers the use of bait hives and how to make them attractive to swarms seeking a home. The consensus of opinion is that the six-frame nucleus box is too small because research shows that bees prefer a volume of 40 litres. Well, my bees evidently have not read the research. I have a number of colonies in my garden, and several empty boxes, of the type in the picture, containing old comb. For no particular reason that I can see, they chose this box and then proceeded to sit on the front for three or four days in wind and rain before finally deciding to go inside. Once they made their minds up to take up residence they have prospered and have been doing well ever since. That tells you just how contrary bees can be…”
No Guarantees in Beekeeping.
This has to be one of the main reasons that I love being a beekeeper. Never knowing exactly what will happen in each variable season is exciting. Also, knowing that I will never fully understand the bees but, if I want to get anywhere close, I have to keep learning more about them.
Totally contrary… Confronted by a six-frame nuc suspended well-up a tree, a small swarm clustered on the bottom of the nuc, immediately below the entrance. The scouts were coming and going and I watched for 3 days, anticipating the moment when they would finally troop the necessary four inches into the box. On the fourth day, the cluster seemed to have got bigger and I discovered that they had started building comb, suspended from the bottom of the nuc, so I rescued and hived them. Apparently, there’s no dance which signals ‘four inches straight up’.
Thanks for sharing that, Avery.