[JBees]

How long does the swarm season last?

 

[Beeslave]

That all depends on the weather. Go here to look for swarm times in your area. http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210361

 

[JBees]

Than Beeslave for the link. I've missed several swarms since I work at this as a hobby and by the time I get off they've moved on.

 

[HEATHERnRye]

Can someone describe what it looks like when bees swarm? I think my hive is in the process of it now!


What time of day do they prefer to do this.

 

[mike haney]

Can someone describe what it looks like when bees swarm? I think my hive is in the process of it now!


What time of day do they prefer to do this.

1. it would be simpler for you to describe why you think they are in the process now. the most obvious sign is the creation of queen (swarm) cells.
2.10AM to 2PM
good luck,mike

 

[beedeetee]

Can someone describe what it looks like when bees swarm? I think my hive is in the process of it now!


What time of day do they prefer to do this.

It starts looking like observation flights but within a couple of minutes the bees start a slow circle motion above the hive and the sound it quite obvious. More and more bees come out of the opening and the "slow tornado" (slow circling) continues as they slowly move as a group to their first landing spot.

This spot seems to be the easiest place to catch them. They may only stay there for a few minutes to a couple of hours, or they might stay longer, but don't count on it. When they start to land you will see bees all over leaves, limbs, ladders, etc as they start to settle into a cluster.

One of the neat things about a swarm is when they start to cluster they start to hang down from their limb. As they get heavier a group will fall but they just kind of disappear as they fall and never hit the ground.

I hate it when my hives swarm, but I have to stand in awe and watch one of the most fascinating things in nature.

One time I had two hives start swarming within about 15 minutes of each other. I was getting ready to catch the first when I notices large groups of Italian bees hanging on peach leaves in the next tree over. I was catching an carni swarm in an apple tree. The carni's were still 80% in the air when the Italians started. Within 5 minutes the two swarms were moving within one another landing within 15 feet of each other.

When they both landed they had figured it out and all of the carni's were together and the Italians were together.

When you see your first swarm be sure to just watch it. Truly an amazing thing to see.:thumbsup:

 

[HEATHERnRye]

To answer the question of why I asked....

We arrived home from work today around 5:20 pm. From our kitchen window we can see the hives. While in the kitchen discussing dinner, I noticed A LOT of flying activity around the hives. Maybe 10 X the normal amount of bees in flight.
I went outside and could hear the buzz/roar and as I got closer to the hives I could see the swirl taking place as they climbed higher and higher. I turned around to see them in the top of a tree in the yard but they were just flying en mass around the top of the tree, thicker than I can describe.

Within 20 minutes or so, they'd began to ball up on a limb about 30 feet up. I started making some calls and got a VERY generous guy from the bee club to come up and help us out. He recovered the swarm using a bucket on a pole and got it into a new hive setup. they are sleeping comfortably in a new home now. Hope they'll stay in there!

Now, just worried about the after swarm........


thanks for the input.