Mailbox Swarm
I got a call today about a swarm that moved into a mailbox. They have been there since Monday. I am going back later today to get them. They are bringing in pollen so I am guessing they are building comb and setting up shop. Looks like I can take off the box by removing 4 screws. I guess I will do that and shake them into my equip. with an ex(in)cluder placed at the entrance.
Ghost sit around the campfire and tell stories about Chuck Norris.
Who discovered it, the owner or the postman?
I'll have to show that to my son. He's a rural carrier.
Looks like a mini top bar hive with none of the convenience!
The Postman I think. The neighbor across the street said on Tuesday he opened the box and was about to put the mail in and then she said he just floored it. lolOriginally Posted by thelorax
Ghost sit around the campfire and tell stories about Chuck Norris.
It looks like an open-face peanut butter and bee sandwich. Delish!
Bill
“If you want to gather honey, don't kick over the beehive.” - Dale Carnegie
I would say the mailman didn't think that was "good news". Sorry, couldn't resist. I had a little Carolina Wren make a nest in my paper box. We only get the paper on Sunday and Monday, so I put a note on the box & tell the paper guy to leave it on the ground. They have hatched out now and are just adorable.
"The greatest threat is our own staggering ignorance and cavalier treatment of the natural world to which we belong."
Thats one way to keep my bills from being delivered.
Dan
Got'em
Went and got them. Pretty easy. They drew out out some nice comb huh? Also attached is a pic of on includer set up. Word to the wise. Make sure the queen is the box when you do this. I was just about to leave them and let the workers come back. I noticed a small cluster in front of the hive. Sure enough the queen was out side the box! I went to scoop her and she flew off. I stayed still and noticed she landed on the old mailbox. I hit her with a splash of 1:1 and scooped her right up and put her in. Went back tonight and picked them up all were in the hive.
On a side note. If you saw the pics of the Sunflowers I took in the photo section. This was right across the street from them. I was admiring all the bees on the Sunflowers last week, this week I get a swarm call from there.
Ghost sit around the campfire and tell stories about Chuck Norris.
Just a newbie wondering now what?
Beautiful photos!
Do you mind describing the box a little? are there frames inside? is that queen excluder part of the box or an add on? wood, cardboard? and then what? do you just add them to a basic hive set up as if they are a package?
I know many of you know what comes next but to me it is all new!
It's a 10 frame medium. I took out the 3 center frames and shook the bees into that space. Then I carefully placed the 3 frames back and closed the lid. The front excluder is just an old one I have that I cut to about 6" and attached it with a couple of nails. I will take it off in a few days.
Ghost sit around the campfire and tell stories about Chuck Norris.
So the excluder is the front wall of the 10 frame medium? or it is a little bigger and is acting like an entrance reducer? I am a little confused i admit.
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