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I'm going to do this one with the external cone method because I'm 99% sure they swarmed yesterday, the new queen should be going on mating flights soon and I should get her (at least I think). It's...

Going to start a trapout from a tree. They just swarmed yesterday and I got there too late to collect the swarm :cry:. Should I start this trapout right away? If I put the trap-out cone on and the...

Illinois State University has a Beekeeping Club now with Dr. Carl Wenning as the advisor. Open to the public as well as students. You aren't too far from Bloomington/Normal.

I'm not going to do a trap-out 100 miles away. Was just hoping someone close would at least go get the swarm hanging in the bush for now. Worry about the bee tree later.

No one? I don't want to drive 100 miles.

I just got an email on the Heart Of Illinois Beekeepers page about a swarm and bee tree in the Charleston/Mattoon, IL area. PM me with your email address and I'll send you his name and number.

I think they would have swarmed today (Saturday) if I hadn't split them last night. I left the q cell behind to get a new queen in the full hive and the nuc can now supersede this queen if they deem...

Took the queen, 3 frames of brood, and shook nurse bees from 2 more frames, and made a nuc. Left a really nice queen cell that was all capped. The old queen was slimmed down, no eggs, and nectar...

I suppose it all depends on whether or not they're read the books on beekeeping we've written about them. Hopefully I haven't lost a swarm yet.

I have one booming hive with two supers on already and they have started swarm cells, about a half dozen with royal jelly and larvae not capped yet. Will they swarm before cells are capped or have...

You have plenty of time, I hived a swarm in July on foundation last year that built up and overwintered fine without feeding.

A weak nuc would probably benefit more from a frame of mostly capped brood than and warmth from another hive especially this time of year.

Anyone see the episode of Undercover Boss on CBS tonight where they killed the colony of bees? Keep it classy Orkin.

Walt, thanks for that explanation. I suspected something similar but as a new beek couldn't really explain it or be sure of what's going on. I left all my hives in the same broodnest configuration as...

Wow, nearly 10 year old thread dredge.

Split another hive into a nuc taking the existing queen. Give them a few days to get settled back in and do a newspaper combine with the laying worker hive. The open brood and laying queen will...

Don't know how comfortable you are around flying bees but I shook a few swarms without a veil last year. If your "swat reflex" is weak you can pull it off. They'll start building comb right away, I...

I got $400 for one last summer. Wouldn't do one for free or more than 20 mins from home unless the owner is willing to help out with keeping an eye on things.

I'm in Peoria and while we have drones there hasn't been any nectar coming in to speak of. Dandelions just started a few days ago, I don't expect swarms for AT LEAST two more weeks.

I think honey that was crushed and strained tastes better. I think it oxidizes coming off the comb in the extractor.

Rinse your empty cans and bottles out first.

I smeared a coating of silicone caulk on my bushkill vac jus to help seal up any gaps between boxes. I had to use mine with the throttle plate nearly full open.

I've removed swarms and colonies that must not have read the ordinance prohibiting their very existence. I can't keep bees in a hive where I can manage them and requeen if necessary and do what I can...

I've got the same situation in one of my hives (nuc). I ended up doing a cut-out over the last weekend and got a nice, fat, gentle queen and did a newspaper combine after removing the bum queen from...

I picked up a used JET contractor saw for $100, needed a belt, blade, and throat plate.