Little swarm

[Philip von Furstenberg]

I have this swarm that since catching it a few months ago has gotten to a tiny group of bees, I’m talking like maybe 100. They live on two frames and have about 50 closed baby caps that they tend to. I checked them The other day and accidentally put the frames back in backwards, which they didn’t like so they swarmed. I brought one of the frames over to the branch and they all climbed back on it and went back into their house. 

My question is are some swarms just really small? Should I add frames with brood and honey from my other hive that has one drop full of bees?

Thanks!

Philip 

[Mimi]

Yes some swarms are really small (only 1 full frame ~1-2k of bees, anything less is NOT viable) but if it has a laying Queen you’ll be fine.  The only time I’ve seen small hive survive (several hundred) is when Virgin Queen is out mating and I assumed bees have swarmed.  That happened to me last week.  

Notes: “ Mating nuc swarmed.  Guess it's dearth in SR right now.  Rested obs hive.  Will come back to get a marked Queen from my hive to place in 2nd obs hive - one that swarmed.”

“It's bee-Armageddon.  Upon returning to your house seems like your Queen didn't swarm but was out mating - she big and black but not yet laying, not plump enough.  

However in trying to mark your beautiful black Queen she flew away.  So I installed mated mark Queen from one of my other hive that I had in my pocket.  Upon releasing bees from my nuc it seems there was already a Queen she was nesting UNDER the nuc and had built out comb.  I thought the nuc I got was Queenless because I couldn't spot Queen or eggs but it had lots of bees.  I was able to find her in a ball of bees but not certain if I damaged her. 

The dead bees around the stand is a result of 3 hives fighting and me stepping on them.  I've already feed your chickens about 1/2 cup of dead bees, but I'm certain there will be more come morning.”

It was a bad beekeeper day- I lost 3 Queens in that instance.   Moreover I’m certain black Virgin Queen flew back into her nuc and the mark mated Queen in top observation hive (who was initially accepted) was in center of ball at bottom of observation top.  Not much I could do at this point.   Either Black Queen and her subjects will kill the marked Queen OR the marked Queen will win over subjects and black Queen will abscond.  

Mimi 

On Sep 15, 2025, at 1:08 PM, Philip von Furstenberg <tofu...@gmail.com> wrote:

I have this swarm that since catching it a few months ago has gotten to a tiny group of bees, I’m talking like maybe 100. They live on two frames and have about 50 closed baby caps that they tend to. I checked them The other day and accidentally put the frames back in backwards, which they didn’t like so they swarmed. I brought one of the frames over to the branch and they all climbed back on it and went back into their house. 

My question is are some swarms just really small? Should I add frames with brood and honey from my other hive that has one drop full of bees?

Thanks!

Philip 

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