Swarm challenge

[Charlie B]

Odfrank is the Darth Vader of swarm catchers world wide. He is a challenging adversary but I know we can do it!

[KQ6AR]

4 traps Zero residents.
Last year zero, even though I caught 12 swarms in the vicinity of the traps.

[odfrank]

Four baited in, two swarms caught, one was my own. When this rain is over keep your veil on. Three of the four baits were seven framers and so was yesterdays swarm from my own hive. I padgened this swarm, installed it on the location of the original hive and moved the original off to the side. This inhibits the original hive from casting an after swarm because all the foragers join the swarm colony making it a powerhouse.

[enchplant]

11 traps set. Nothing more than scout bees so far.

[Gypsi]

7 traps, 2 swarms, one in a nuc, one in the beetree trunk I
Put in my garden.
Gypsi

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

Charlie B.. Odfrank... Caught one more today, (total of four) but, I can't in good faith, count this one. It came to a box that I had placed out at the end of a barn, with some old lumber to be thrown away. No frames and no lemongrass oil.

I started a new thread with photo. It was sitting almost on the ground. The photo doesn't show that the rear of the box is broken, that is why I was throwing it away.

cchoganjr

[Charlie B]

I think that should count Cleo. Same thing happened to Odfrank but his box was is worse condition than yours. The only difference was he's so cheap, he wasn't intending on throwing his away!

[Cleo C. Hogan Jr]

The photo doesn't show, but, the whole back is busted. Got hit by a front tractor tire.

I can't compete with odfrank, not enough feral bees in my area, and I have been making up nucs, so, my brood stock is too small to swarm.

cchoganjr

[odfrank]

he's so cheap, he wasn't intending on throwing his away!

Just to prove Charlie wrong, I have been making some new jumbo depth boxes from some nice 1X10 redwood fence lumber I found.

[Fuzzy]

No swarms in bait hives yet.... However, 4 swarms retrieved from various surfaces and branches. NONE from my hives !

[Charlie B]

Ollie, I'm coming by to take a look at those. You owe me lunch anyway.

[odfrank]

NONE from my hives !

That's what Charlie claims also. Right.

[Charlie B]

Right, NONE from my hives either!

[odfrank]

Right, NONE from my hives either!

Lets hear that same claim again in June. I caught a fish this <------------------> big.

[KQ6AR]

Hey Cleo,

You'll need all the help you can get in this competition. You better count that one.

[Charlie B]

Lets hear that same claim again in June. I caught a fish this <------------------> big.

You should be proud Ollie. It was because I did what you said in your class on swarm prevention my hives haven't swarmed. I can't help it if the student surpasses the master!

[odfrank]

We are not even half way through the swarming season and we haven't even got out of winter yet. Your hives haven't swarmed YET. Both you and your master will be running their butts off in May chasing those gigantic swarms from hives that have left behind two medium supers of crop stored earlier and clogging up the brood chambers. Grasshopper, how many times do I have to tell you to quit taking beekeeping advice from those left coasters?

[KQ6AR]

I agree, it hasn't even started yet.
Some of the early swarms I've seen so far might have come out of small cavities in trees or houses.
Just built 20 more boxes in preparation for next month.

[Charlie B]

I think there's more traps out now in the Bay Area than there are swarms.

[Gypsi]

I think there's more traps out now in the Bay Area than there are swarms.

Ain't that the idea? Keep those swarms out of attics and soffits!