Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: Barny on May 20, 2005, 10:02:53 pm
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So recently I've been nabbing a few swarms and am having a hard time of one of them. I nabbed them this morning around 9:30-10:00. They were about 12-15 feet high in a mulberry tree. I had a brood super with 9 wax foundations and 1 fully drawn honey foundation. I was using a pole with a 5 gal bucket attached and rods of varying length to make longer. Anyhow, I shook the swarm and dumped it in the box and quickly popped the lid on. I waited a few minutes and about half made their way back, so I repeated the process a couple of times. I returned about 5 hours later and I noticed no movement in the super. I removed the top and pulled out a frame that had about a baseball size grouping on it. I quickly put the lid back on and looked in the tree. The old swarm spot was about 1/2 the size of the original--- starded out about football and now is about softball. I reshook the bees and redumped again. I will be taking them away soon at dusk. I was just wondering how does one "convince" them they want to stay?
Updates coming soon
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If you didn't get the queen on the first shake, they won't stay they'll go back to her. :D
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Also, I've heard that it's easier to get them to stay if you give them a frame of brood to care for.
Beth
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Well about half the bees were in the hive and about half were back in the tree. I closed off the bottom board and shook them again and quickly, but gently closed the lid. Most of the swarm is now in the super so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I bet I have 70-90% of the total swarm. Makes me want a bee-vac with an extendable attachment.
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Should a said something this morning. Think the rest of them are going to be there in the morning? I got Vac.
I'm just thinking that if you didn't get them all, you probably missed the queen.
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As everyone has already said, the most important thing to do is to get the queen. Another thing that's useful is any kind of swarm lure (lemongrass oil, a light spray of Lemon pledge, one of the commercial lures from Brushy Mt or Mann Lake etc.). This will sometimes help get them together in the hive instead of on the limb.
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Checked on the babies the past couple of days and it seems as if they like their new spot. I managed to pick up another very large swarm and a small hive built into an old pump tank yesterday too. I also checked out a house near lake allen henry that had honey dripping down the sides of the house... ewww. Hopefully next week I will go back and try to get comb, honey, and luckily a big hive with a queen.
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It had honey dripping down the side of the house? Must have gotten hot inside the wall where the comb was melting. That's the only reason I can think of that would cause the honey to run out. That sounds very messy.
Glad they swarm is staying now.
Beth
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Well I now am involved in quite a few hives. The hive in the house is not a swarm, but a large hive that has built lots of comb and filled it with mesquite (sp?) and wildflower honey. A bee-vac will be required, but alas this is for another thread!
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Stay tuned, boys and girls, for the next adventure from the Lubbock Gang!
(if this doesn't make sense to you, read:
www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewtopic.php?t=2562&highlight=snake
it will make your day......and make you wonder!)
Next thing you know, they will be going on the road with their comedy show. We might even see them on Leno!
Sorry, Barney, but I guess because you are from Lubbock, you get lumped in with Jerrymac and Firetool.
Fuzzybeekeeper
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Barny is an innocent bystander.
Hey Barny. Both Firetool And I have beevacs you know.
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Hey Jerry thanks for the offer. If I cannot locate the one in the warehouse I will probably take you up on the offer.
Fuzzybeekeeper - I have the pictures to match! Just trying to figure out my buddies software for his new camera, but I'm sure they will be great! Got two more hives yesterday along with about 20 supers!! Fun, Fun, Fun, oh and did I mention it tied the record for heat yesterday, 105F :twisted:
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That hot huh? I knew it went over a hunernt but didn't know that much.
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Michael Bush wrote:
Another thing that's useful is any kind of swarm lure (lemongrass oil, a light spray of Lemon pledge, one of the commercial lures from Brushy Mt or Mann Lake etc.).
I was just wondering how long the lemongrass oil would work effectively if used in a swarm trap?
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The bees still show an interest in it a few months later. The commercial lures probably release the smell more evenly but I've had just as good of luck with either.
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dang you guys I am starting to wish that midland and lubbock were closer together. sound like you guys are having fun. also I am having trouble with absconding swarms( I have lost two now and kept two. as you know I tested lemon grass oil today. but if bush reads this again when you use it in a hive do you mix it with something or just put a few drops on the wood?
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I think there are a lot of ferel swarms in our area this year! And yes Bill, I too wish you could join along in some of the fun.