Creating Shook Swarms
A shook swarm is just that- a "swarm" you create by shaking the bees off of frames to create an artificial Swarm!
Shook Swarm TBA from Honking Goose Media on Vimeo.
Why use the Shook Swarm Method?
Converting Deeps to Mediums
If you have deep foundation and you are wanting to convert it to mediums the Shook Swarm Technique works well. The left-over deep frames full of resources can then be used to help weaker colonies. You can use the double screen method– just set the shaken deep resource frames on top. The double screen must have an entrance separate from the bottom box. After about 7 days when plenty of nurse bees have emerged from those deep resource frames above the double screen, you can add a mated queen, or you can allow them to make their own queen. Then transfer the box to its own bottom board and set it anywhere. In a couple of weeks you’ll have bees that have aged into forgers.
Phasing Out Wonky Comb When a someone does a bee removal, they often save brood comb. They will rubber band the brood to the frames and place in a new box. Once the hive gets established well, and it is your desire to rid yourself of the wonky comb, you can shake the bees off the wonky comb onto new foundation. Place the old hive with wonky comb above a double screen board with the entrance pointing the same direction as the newly shaken hive. Note: On day 10, there will most likely be capped queen cells on the wonky comb which you can harvest and use if needed. Now you can discard old comb.
Brood Break for Varroa One technique to reduce varroa counts is a complete brood break. When varroa counts are very high, I recommend taking the shaken frames and new hive body and set them on their own bottom board. Move an established hive and set it there so it will have immediate forgers and let them make their own queen. This will accomplish a brood break. The hive that you moved will recover and have new forgers in a week.
Shake the bees into the new box. Use smoke to help them move off of the top frames and down into the hive.
Swarm Control in The Spring In the spring, you can accomplish swarm control while making a strong new hive at the same time (split). Once you shake all bees down on new foundation (Shook Method), put a double screen board on top of that box with a separate entrance and set the old hive with old comb, brood, and food, on top of the double screen board. In 5 to 7 days after some nurse bees have emerged above the double screen board, add a mated queen, or let the bees continue in making their own queen. Then set that box on its own bottom board. Note: There needs to be a flow when using double screen method.