caught a huge swarm

[danno]

Monday morning I caught a huge swarm the size of 2 basket balls.  They filled 2 deeps.  About 2 weeks ago I caught another swarm that left by the end of the day so this time before I shook them I shot alittle lemon grass oil in, shook them and moved it about a mile away.  I also put a gallon of syrup w/ alittle honey-Bee- healthy in it and they seem happy.   I know I have had 2 swarms in my hives this year but have caught four in my back fields.  This big one and the one a couple of weeks ago didn't come from my bees.  They were very close to my hives within 50 feet.  I have no other beeks within a couple of miles. My question is are my bees attracting these?

[KONASDAD]

when hiving swarms, i place the hive body over a queen excluder for two days. It keeps the queen inside, and the bees stay. I remove excluder after a few days just in case she is unmated. It really increased my success rate a lot.
Since she may already be out flying, I would wait until very early morning before they are lots of bees flying and add excluder.

[JP]

Monday morning I caught a huge swarm the size of 2 basket balls.  They filled 2 deeps.  About 2 weeks ago I caught another swarm that left by the end of the day so this time before I shook them I shot alittle lemon grass oil in, shook them and moved it about a mile away.  I also put a gallon of syrup w/ alittle honey-Bee- healthy in it and they seem happy.   I know I have had 2 swarms in my hives this year but have caught four in my back fields.  This big one and the one a couple of weeks ago didn't come from my bees.  They were very close to my hives within 50 feet.  I have no other beeks within a couple of miles. My question is are my bees attracting these?

I think your question has merit. My friend Bailey has had swarms move into his yard before he started keeping bees but much more so since.

I have had a swarm move into my yard, I watched it fly in from the west and settle into a deep and a medium that was a dead out.

Today I removed two swarms in the same area where two hives are kept. I checked both of those hives Wednesday of this past week and one of the other ones again on Friday, two days ago.

Today I went through both hives top to bottom and found no swarm cells and original queens in both hives.

I would like to hear others chime in here on this issue.


...JP

[iddee]

Just as sure as an old, abandoned hive in a building will attract another swarm, an apiary and it's smells will bring in a swarm the same way.

[JP]

So this has been your experience as well Iddee, any stories to tell?


...JP

[Shawn]

last year I posted a deal about the other beek here that does not have to leave his yard to catch swarms. He ended up cathing 5, I believe, hanging from his fence and they were not his.

[bailey]

NO LESS THAN 10 WILD SWARMS SHOWED UP AT MY BEE AREA LAST YEAR.

THEY LIKE AND COME TO BEE SMELL.

BAILEY

[ArmucheeBee]

I'll add:  I had a swarm show up last year, it was not mine.  I had only had mine hives about 2 months.  Very small though, but made comb like crazy.  I put up a swarm nuc this year.

[danno]

I ended up catching 4 swarms in my back field last year and only one was mine.  Funny thing is the only one that decided not to stay was the one from my bee's.  Maybe I missed the queen.  This year I am putting a excluder on the enterance for at least a couple of days.

[Zane]

Last year I caught 3 swarms w/in 1/4 mile from my 1st year hives. I guess this year ight help in the survey. Nearest know beek is 6 miles away

[DayValleyDahlias]

Lucky ducks, no swarms here yet...hmpf

[twb]

Danno, I was going to be incredulous that you caught a swarm already since I know it is still winter up there by you.  Then I noted the date of your original post :).  Now it makes sense. 

It would not surprise me a bit that bees seem to attract more bees. 

[danno]

twb
Yes that was last year.  Snow is finally going away but I will still keep my plows on my trucks until the end of march

[Brian D. Bray]

I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason.  I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well.  A Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.

[tlynn]

I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason.  I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well.  a Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.

Brian,

What does the bait hive consist of?  New foundation/foundationless?  Drawn out comb?  Do you add attractants?  Nuc, 8 or 10 frame?

Tracy

[Brian D. Bray]

I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason.  I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well.  a Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.

Brian,

What does the bait hive consist of?  New foundation/foundationless?  Drawn out comb?  Do you add attractants?  Nuc, 8 or 10 frame?

Tracy

A single deep or a double medium with frames, some drawn, some foundationless.  I try too have at least 2 drawn combs in each biat hive I use, even if I'm using it to catch a swarm.  The older and more used the boxes the better.  Put your new stuff on your old hives and use the old stuff to catch new bees.

[danno]

I leave my deer hunting tree stands up in my woods year round.  They do double duty.  Deer in fall. Bee's in spring