# Ready to swarm???? Picture



## txsteele (Nov 19, 2014)

So I'm new to beekeeping but my 10 frame deep was almost 100% drawn out so I added a super that the girls filled with honey, most of it capped now. So I decided to lift the super and added another deep in between the original deep and the honey full super. That was all done yesterday. 

So this evening I went out and saw the girls hanging out front. They were hanging off each other under the screened bottom. 

I can't imagine that they would be trying to swarm with all the new empty frames inn the second deep????


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## po boy (Jul 12, 2010)

I'm new at this also, but seems to me you should place the empty deep on top.


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

No worries. They are just trying to stay cool. As it gets hotter you will notice more and more bees hanging around outside of the hive entrance. Sometimes they will form a beard, sometimes they will cover the front of the hive. One book I read put it as they theorized the bees remove their animal heat from the hive to make it easier to cool the hive to the desired temperature.

I think you put the new box in the correct place. You want to give the queen plenty of room to lay. If the bees decide to fill that box with honey also that is their choice. Just be sure that you aren't giving them too much room to guard....that is how wax moth larvae and small hive beetle larvae get a foothold. If the honey in the upper super is mostly capped you might consider going ahead and harvesting it.


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Texmex is right. If you are in a hot area you need to raise the outer cover and put something (corncob size) under it to allow more ventilation.Also understand they could still swarm. If they became crowded ans started a queen cell they will raise another queen.And if the food supply is abundant it's their natural process to raise a queen and swarm.If you think this might have happened you could set up another box 100-150 yards away with some drawn out comb and lemon grass to atract the swarm when and it it happens.

WAde


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

I can't tell from the picture what type of bottom board you have on your hive. I'd like to strongly recommend a screened bottom board. Your mite numbers will go down dramatically and it helps with ventilation.


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## txsteele (Nov 19, 2014)

TxMex said:


> I can't tell from the picture what type of bottom board you have on your hive. I'd like to strongly recommend a screened bottom board. Your mite numbers will go down dramatically and it helps with ventilation.



It a completely screened bottom board


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Once temps get to 50 at night I pull the flashing half way out of my Screen bottom boards, remove the 3/4 inch plugs from the front center of the deeps and lift the outer cover up to rest on the intercover lip that also has a 2 inch notch cut in it for a upper entrance and extra ventilation .



This is a swarm catch box but the lid is propped on it.



Big time summer bearding before I stated drilling the 3/4 center holes. If you look close many of the bees are fanning to push air into the hive and draw it out the top.



 Al


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