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80K views 296 replies 72 participants last post by  IAmTheWaterbug 
#1 ·
earliest was 3/11 this year - 94401, saw a big one last week - 94063
 
#2 ·
Fighting Swarm Arrives

What is that fighting behavior about with baited bees? Today's bait swarm must have a few dozen dead bees in front of it. Small bees, on large cell comb, 94402. I tell the folks that have my baits at their house, when they start killing each other, expect the swarm to arrive.
 
#3 ·
Thought swarming season was over, Stacked a bait that was unsuccessful in the pile, it was filled with Small cell combs that were yellow but had been in a hive that got AFB:eek: . Bingo, 5/21 good sized swarm. 94401
Have lost count on my baits, maybe 15 so far, several very small. :)
 
#4 ·
A late good one 6/15 -95030. This was from a bait swarm I caught on 3/11, it had partially filled a deep, partially filled half a medium honey super, had an empty above that. Only had two queen cells. Now there's a crummy strain of bees if you ask me. Two gardeners who had never worked bees caught it from a 15' high tree limb into a cardboard box following my instructions over the phone. Let's hear if for the Bob and Salvo, the heroic bee luvin' gardeners of Monte Sereno.
 
#10 ·
This was a surprise

I got a call yesterday for a swarm. I expected it would be in a wall or roof, but in fact it was in a tree in the front yard. It was almost the size of a football. I shook it into a nuc and he was happy to give me a contribution of $100. :D

I know this is in San Diego, but it's pretty late. What chances do I have of it making it through the winter?
 
#17 ·
Swarm in bait box.

I had a call to a house yesterday afternoon about 3.00 pm. The household said he's had bees in the attic before and didn't want them again.

There were lots of bees 'checking out' the vents in his roof, kitchen, bathroom and AC vents. We stood and watched for a while, scratching our heads wondering what to do. Then a light-bulb went on in my head. Why not put a bait hive on his patio cover, about 8 feet off the ground facing due east.

I put a brood box, a few frames with strips of foundation and one with an old comb. I even put a little lemon grass oil on one of the top bars.

The house holder called me at 8.45 this morning to say they had arrived. I'm not sure how big the swarm is, but it seemed pretty heavy and a peep from underneath through the screen-floor showed the bottom of the cluster touching the floor. :D

 
#19 ·
Hi , new to this all . got a call Friday at 12pm with a swarm on a Japanese maple . Luckily it was about 4 feet off the ground. I picked it up at about 4 p.m. and they are now in their new site on the farm . It was about the size of a soccer ball . sonoma county california
 
#22 ·
Thursday 8/21/08

94401, several frames, in bloom are red eucalyptus, texas privet, others. Bigger than a late supersedure swarm.
 
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