got another swarm last night...

**CaBees** · 05-09-2012, 09:47 AM

That makes 4 swarms from calls so far. This one was from hives in these people's yard...but they were not their hives and were only letting their friend keep the hives there. The friend was out of town and all the hives were swarming. This year is showing massive swarms in this area; early ones too and they said their friend inspected the hives and saw queen cells before he left but did nothing. um, ok but your neighbors are not going to like it if they get bees in their walls........

So I just got one little swarm, the otheres the homeowner captured and put back into the hives. So I imagine there will be more.... My little swarm has a queen but most likely I think a virgin queen. I gave it to my neighbor for her 2nd hive and we will check it in a couple weeks for brood. I suggested she feed this one as it is so small....

So the score is 4 for swarms; 0 for swarm traps.....

**rwurster** · 05-09-2012, 12:06 PM

Caught 5 swarms so far, none from traps. Biggest was about 7 pounds of bees, it looked like there was a bear in a tree. One 4 pounder and 3 - two pound swarms. It has been a decent year so far for swarms.

**NasalSponge** · 05-09-2012, 03:07 PM

6 so far with one absconding and countless missed calls, it seems folks with large balls of bees in their yards do not like to leave messages....go figure.

**rwurster** · 05-10-2012, 08:32 AM

Got another one last night. The woman said it was on her gutter... it was IN her gutter. That one was no fun, I need to make a bee vac.

**ScoutBee** · 05-10-2012, 01:04 PM

I've picked up 8 swarms so far this year and 6 of them have been in the last 4 days. Well one had made it into a hole in a garage wall by the time the people spotted it. So that turned into a cut-out.

The two biggest were over 7 + pounds. A great year for swarms for sure.

**rwurster** · 05-10-2012, 09:43 PM

I have a cut out to do on Monday, it will be my first and I'm pumped to do it. I love getting bees, absolutely love it. It also gives good experience in swapping brood/resources of bigger hives to get swarms started and splitting if you need to boost smaller swarms or combining. Good stuff.

**D Semple** · 05-11-2012, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by NasalSponge

6 so far with one absconding and countless missed calls, it seems folks with large balls of bees in their yards do not like to leave messages....go figure.

Echo that!

That's why I'll interupt the president to answer the phone during swarm season.

Up to about 30 catches. Built a ton of new equipment over last winter and it's disappering fast and I'm still getting a few primary swarm calls all though most are secondary swarms now. Lot's of removal calls also.

**VickyLynn** · 05-12-2012, 02:27 PM

I just caught my first swarm - it was at a neighbor's about a mile away across a pond, two plus miles away by road. We took over one of my deeps that has drawn comb in it and lemongrass odor (I had been trying to catch a swarm). We scooped up as many bees as we could in a box and dumped them in, took the deep back to my place and set it up. I hope they stay. I have the lid on, but not the inner cover. I was afraid that I would take too long and they would all fly away. I have the small entrance open. It's four o'clock and warm right now. Should I put on the inner cover when it gets cool or leave everything for a week until I go in and see if there is brood? I didn't see the queen, but I wasn't looking too hard for her, either. I would say it's a small swarm - about the size of a package of bees. Any advice is very appreciated!

**psfred** · 05-12-2012, 09:08 PM

Make sure you have adequate ventilation, or they will pack up and leave!

I "caught" a swarm yesterday, probably 6 pounds of bees - filled my nuc box completely. I set the box under the swarm on a shrub, took the top off and a frame out, and my brother clipped off the branch were most of them were hanging and shook some of them into the box. Must have included the queen, as the bees poured off the branch like water into the box.

Workers immediately ran out the front of the hive and started fanning. We put the frame back in and put the cover on, and the rest of the swarm marched right into the box and they started orientation flights. Quite a show!

Need to move them into a full deep tomorrow, it was a lousy day today with clouds and rain, not my favorite conditions for opening hives.

I'd like to get two more, but there haven't been as many swarm calls as usual this year.

Peter

**rwurster** · 05-12-2012, 11:35 PM

Been lousy here too but fortunately the wind broke many cottonwood trees in town by the river so I got to do 2 cut outs from hollow limbs. Got another huge cut out to do Monday and my only concerns now are deep boxes... I don't have any more lol. Ill still make the deeps but making frames is a pain, Ill have to start buying them.