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Author Topic: In the rain?  (Read 1331 times)

Offline dfizer

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In the rain?
« on: June 27, 2013, 11:14:02 pm »
Hello - I got a swarm call late this evening just as it started to get dark and interestingly enough it started to rain pretty heavily at almost the exact same time.  What does a swarm do in the rain?  Will they seek some sort of shelter? 

Should I expect them to be there in the am?

Please advise!

David

Offline iddee

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Re: In the rain?
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2013, 11:24:20 pm »
They will be there, and likely armed to the teeth. Be well dressed.

They will form a ball and spread their wings to cover each other and the rain will shed off them like a duck. They will be fightin' mad and ready to do war as soon as it stops raining.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline dfizer

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Re: In the rain?
« Reply #2 on: June 27, 2013, 11:31:20 pm »
Thanks iddee - I never considered the change in disposition but it make perfect sense.  It kind of reminds me of the saying "mad as a wet hornet". 

David

Offline Roy Coates

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Re: In the rain?
« Reply #3 on: June 29, 2013, 11:00:11 pm »
I just did a swarm removal, it was lightly raining. I donned me veil and gloves thinking they would be mad. I didn't find them too testy. Just lucky I guess. They had been there 24 hours and weathered a significant rain storm that night. I go them just before it cleared up completely. No Stings. Hope yours turns out as well

Offline BlueBee

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Re: In the rain?
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2013, 03:39:23 am »
I though the proper analogy was; 'madder than an old wet hen'?  Maybe I got my analogies mixed up again.

As the others have said, the bees just aren't smart enough to get in out of bad weather. :(  That can be a problem in our northern climates if we get a cold rain.  Cold rain does kill bees.