[Hooday]

I called all around to various agencies - Police dept, Fire dept, Ag Extension, local exterminators - putting my name on the swarm list.

I got zero calls.

I've made up half page flyers for posting on local gas station bulletin boards.

Nada.

What am I doing wrong? This is my second year beekeeping and I think I should have gotten some calls.

Anybody echo this experience?

 

[devdog108]

I think that they just may not have gotten roling on swarming around us. I have only had one at this point and got there too late. Patience. Last year I had 5 in May and June.

 

[AmericasBeekeeper]

It is difficult at first. When you get rolling you will have more calls than you can deal with. My Dad still got calls after I had been away in the Marine Corps for 20 years.

 

[concrete-bees]

catching swarms is like fishing on a crappy day !!!!!!!

just be ready - and if you dont get one ....... at least you were ready!!!!!

wait until June - you will be running all over -

good luck - also if you have 20 bait hives ..... make and hand 20 more

also try hanging flyiers at gas stations, schools, etc. parks also -

also give your name to your next door nieghbors - since they will most likely be the first to know if your hives swarm!!!!!

 

[Rohe Bee Ranch]

In previous years I would have had around 20 swarm calls by the end of April. So far I have only had one, and by the time they called me they had already left. :doh:

 

[btedeski]

No swarms yet this year..... Got two last year & arrived to late for two more. That was my first year as a beekeeper

I advertise on craigslist.com under home and garden. Every couple of weeks I delete and re-add the add that way it pops back up to the top. Did this yesterday and got 3 calls for cut outs. Two sound like honey bees one sound like other.... Going out to cut-out the small one tonight after work.

Did my first cutout a couple of weeks ago, an abandoned house on a farm being used as a shed. The bees were under the second story floor boards. Had to remove 5 feet of floor to get it all.

The Girlfriend got a bee down her bra while we were doing the cut out, she calmly went in the other room, took of her paper painters suit and veil, reached down her top and pulled the little girl out and let her go. With out getting stung.. Yes I have since bought her a new full length suit of her own.

 

[johng]

I have gotten several calls from Craigslist.

 

[Budster]

Post on the most active swarm lists on the web..
findabeekeeper.com
ebeehoney.com
honeyrunapiaries.com

When people want to have a swarm removed, they usually go to Yahoo or Google to do a search for a local beekeeper. If you list with all 3, your phone will literally ring off the hook during swarm season!

opcorn:

 

[kbenz]

I am just below you in landis. have not got any calls yet either

 

[Birney]

I write a Sunday column in the local newspaper and from time to time I recount my adventures in rounding up swarms. People seem to love reading about bees, and I'm overwhelmed with calls of swarms. At least half of them are in structures, something I avoid. It would make a good part time business, bee removal. Maybe let the pest control people know you're available to capture swarms. I suppose they get calls.

 

[odfrank]

I quit chasing swarms and spend my time setting out bait hives. Set them up on my time, pick them up on my time. No emergencies, no bees tangled in thorny bushes or in the top of a tree.

 

[Buffalolick]

This is my first year advertising for swarm removal..listed in all the places mentioned. Had several cut out calls, of which only one has panned out so far. Only charging $100 and don't do any repair..that seems like too much for some folks. What can you do? Maybe after dealing with fermented honey in their wall, the $100 will seem like a bargin. I try to explain but I guess they think it's part of the "pitch". Only one true swarm call so far and that was 2 days ago. Seems like it stayed cool longer this spring (chilly this morning). Keep at it, the calls will come. At least that's my thinking. All marketing/advertising requires multiple impressions to be sucessful. One more thing: I have business cards printed front and back. Front is my contact info, back is a "pocket reference" for honeybee swarm removal..tells what to do if they see a swarm, don't panic, don't spray them, call me ASAP etc.....I give them to any one who stands still close to me for more than 3 minutes and all likely to encounter swarms (pest control, dog catchers, police, firemen, etc.) that I see out and about.