[Hambone]

Got a call late this afternoon for a swarm. Went to get it. A little more difficult than I thought it would be. So I left it. I am going back tomorrow to get it. I was thinking it was a simple branch cut and go. As you can see they are on the trunk. They are only about 8' up do height is not an issue. Looking for some ideas on getting them off the tree. I did put out a few swarm traps in the area before I left. Maybe I will get lucky and they will move in one of them tomorrow.

Here is what I am thinking. Getting my ladder and placing the box right under them. Getting some stiff cardboard cut it to the width of the swarm and doing a good swift scoop into the box. That is the first thing that comes to mind. Any other ideas?

The best part is. They came out of a colony that is located in thier chimney. He said they have been in his chimney for at least 15 years. He is ready to get rid of the bees out of the chimney. He has talked to a few exterminators over the years. They will only kill them (of course). He doesn't want them killed. Looks like a trap out job. Which I don't want to do. Anyone in the DFW area that want's to do a trap out shoot me a pm. I will get you in contact with him.

 

[beekeeper1756]

Way to go Hambone. I bet your swarm traps get the bees. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Slee]

Hey Hambone,
that's why I built a bee vac last yr. I had the same deal last summer. I took the vac and just sucked them up.

 

[daknoodle]

If I didn't have to be in Southlake tomorrow I'd offer to come help. That looks like a very nice swarm.

 

[Beeslave]

Stand on the ladder and wait for the queen to come to the surface. When she does grab her and put her in a queen cage that you have with you. Set your hive on top of the ladder just under the swarm. Place the queen between 2 frames, leave the cover off and knock a bunch of bees in the hive and put on cover. The bees in the hive will release the pheremone that the queen is in there and the rest will follow.

If you want to be a show off-After you cage the queen, climb down the ladder and give the tree a big kick. Hold the queen in your left hand so her pheremones can be sensed by the swarm. They should land on your hand and arm and you will be able to walk to your vehicle. get in and place your left arm out the window. Slowly drive down the road and the swarm will follow you.

Or just get a bee-vac and suck 'em up.

 

[Hambone]

Way to go Hambone. I bet your swarm traps get the bees. Let us know how it goes.

I hope. That would be sweet and easy.

Hey Hambone,
that's why I built a bee vac last yr. I had the same deal last summer. I took the vac and just sucked them up.

My bee vac kinda sucks. It works. But not all that well. I need to look at making a better one.

If I didn't have to be in Southlake tomorrow I'd offer to come help. That looks like a very nice swarm.

I was going to give these to you until he told me they have been there 15 years. Don't worry though. I am hooking you up soon.

Stand on the ladder and wait for the queen to come to the surface.

Can you expand on that a bit. How often does she surface?

 

[Beeslave]

My bee vac kinda sucks.

Isn't that what it is supposed to do

Can you expand on that a bit. How often does she surface?

I've stared at a swarm for 45 min and never seen her. I've also seen her the 1st minute and was able to grab her. I don't do this now because I have no time but when I ran less than 100 hives I found it fun to wait for the queen to come to the surface and pluck her out.

 

[daknoodle]

I was going to give these to you until he told me they have been there 15 years. Don't worry though. I am hooking you up soon.

hahaha, no worries, I saw the age myself and was thinking I wouldn't give those away either.

Look forward to hearing how well they do. 15 years has got to have some great genetics!

 

[Hambone]

Isn't that what it is supposed to do.

My vac blows.

I've stared at a swarm for 45 min and never seen her. I've also seen her the 1st minute and was able to grab her. I don't do this now because I have no time but when I ran less than 100 hives I found it fun to wait for the queen to come to the surface and pluck her out.

Thanks. I will give it 10 minutes. Then my patentice will run out.

 

[Hambone]

hahaha, no worries, I saw the age myself and was thinking I wouldn't give those away either.

Look forward to hearing how well they do. 15 years has got to have some great genetics!

This is just the first of many. Hope they do well. I will have you some in the next 3-4 weeks. If these work out. I will fix you up with a walk a way split by late July.

 

[USCBeeMan]

Hambone should be that bad. Make a scoop out of a milk jug of soda jug. leave the handle on the jug as the handle for the scoop.

Scoop the bees into a cardboard box or bucket. Make 2 or 3 good attempts quickly in a row then take the box/bucket down to the ground and dump into hive/nuc. Hopefully you will have the Q. If you have Q then go back up and scoop a few more times. But I would have a sprayer with SW and something like eucolyptse oil to mask the scent on the tree.

Leave and let the Q's scent in the hive/nuc do it's work. Come back tomorrow evening, close up the hive and take it home.

I have had some where I could only use my hands. Too many limbs in a bush or worse a spiral bush that has no leaves just big thorns. Limbs and thorns are all green. Looked at (this bush in my neighbor's yard) yesterday and the plant has got blooms on it. Never seen it bloom before.

Not pleasant but I did what I needed to do.

 

[Batman]

I had a swarm on the side of my house today. They are between the tile that makes a 90 degree turn onto the roof and the trim board. I did a quick couple of sweeps to know them into a nuc with some frames, then placed it on the ladder and left it so I could got to work, really didn't have time to deal with this. Well, I didn't get the queen, cause when I got home at 10:30, they were back on the house. being as they are partially obscured by the tile, will I even have the chance to see the queen in the lower portion of the cluster or will she stay more towards the top? I thought about trying to finish my bee vac i was building, but don't know if I will have the time or patients to wait.

 

[USCBeeMan]

Try using a smoker to move the queen.

 

[rkr]

OK here is what I was told by an older 'Keeper a few months ago for swarms to high to reach on a ladder.

Take an old comb and tie it on a rope. Throw the rope over a branch above the swarm and very slowly pull it up into the swarm. The bees will move to the comb then you lower it down slowly.

Now I don't know if that will work, but it is worth a try. Maybe tack two or three frames together with a brad gun.

You can't win if you don't play, so I may try that method if I am ever in your situation.

RKR


Edit: He described tying it in the middle of the rope so you can control it on the way down. I have never tried it as this will be my first swarm season as a 'keeper.

 

[Batman]

Hambone, it's almost 7:45 here, I'm chomping at the bit to get the youngsters to school so I can work on the bees on my house, so I have to believe that you're eager to get to yours. Got an update for us yet?
USC, I had heard that you shouldn't use a smoker on a swarm as it may trigger them to fly off. Any thoughts?
rkr, interesting idea. If I don't take the corner tiles off, I might try it. I am very curious how hambone is doing and what he decided on.

Craig

 

[Naturegoods]

My vac blows.

You're using the wrong end :lpf:

Seriously, fix it up if you can. You'll get lots of use over the years, starting with this swarm. Mine is so old I don't remember making it. An airtight wooden box to hold a package and I hook a shop vac to that, some old swimming pool hose to reach about 8 feet, deposits the bees into the package just like buying them!.
I've never seen a purchased one, I wonder how they work!

 

[Hambone]

Take an old comb and tie it on a rope. Throw the rope over a branch above the swarm and very slowly pull it up into the swarm. The bees will move to the comb then you lower it down slowly.

Sounds like I need to brake out my cane pole and do some fishin. Bee style.

 

[Hambone]

Got an update for us yet?

Unfortunately I have to work today. I will be running out there at lunch today to see if they happened to move into one of the traps. If not I will be going back after work to get’em. I will report back at 1 p.m. CST.

 

[daknoodle]

Unfortunately I have to work today. I will be running out there at lunch today to see if they happened to move into one of the traps. If not I will be going back after work to get’em. I will report back at 1 p.m. CST.

Its now 1:25 wheres the update?? hehe

 

[Hambone]

Sorry. Had to stuff my fat face with a meatball sub. As of 1:34 CST they are still in the tree. I put up one more trap up in a tree about a 1/4 mile away. We shall see at 5.