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Author Topic: 2014 swarms  (Read 34346 times)

Offline capt44

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #40 on: March 15, 2014, 10:20:46 pm »
Last year I caught  my first swarm the first week in March, had scarlet and white clover blooming.
This year the bee inspector was telling me about how my beeyard was in bloom last year.
This year the clover is just starting to grow.
I did notice a few drones crawling around and capped drone cells in the corners of the foundations.
I'm usually 2-3 weeks behind ya'll on the coast.
I'm putting out 35 swarm traps and been sending brochures and cards to the towns around here saying I catch swarms and do trap-outs.
I'm bite'n at the bits.
I am in Central Arkansas, we're expecting some wintery mix in the north part of the state Sunday nite.
Ya'll out east hang on here it comes again.
 :-D
Richard Vardaman (capt44)

Offline gb

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #41 on: March 15, 2014, 11:22:45 pm »
Does anybody think feeding next to a swarm trap might help never traped before just wondering thanks

Offline 10framer

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #42 on: March 16, 2014, 12:09:11 am »
found drones in most hives today.  i had uncapped queen cells with larvae in my really strong hive.  i took the queen and made a 5 framed deep nuc.  that hive had a full deep, a full medium and about a third of another medium full of brood.  hopefully i avoided a swarm.  i'm going to super them and a few more hives this week, clover should be blooming in less than two weeks, i think.

Offline GSF

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #43 on: March 16, 2014, 07:10:36 am »
gb; I was wondering the same thing.

btw, Welcome to the forum. You may want to update your profile and add your location. A lot of bee keeping questions are location specific.
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

Offline troutstalker2

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #44 on: March 16, 2014, 11:19:36 am »
 
  Was in my hives yesterday and found swarm cells in a hive here in western north Carolina. Only thing blooming are the daffodils. Its been cold here so far with only 1 or 2 days above 70 degrees.

David

Offline divemaster1963

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #45 on: March 16, 2014, 12:51:57 pm »
It's starting here in middle Ga. got a swarm call Thrusday afternoon. We had heavy rain then a little warm spell. that is when they swarm just after rain. I called Jessie down near perry ga. to go get them in Kathleen Ga. just south of Warner Robins,Ga. I was at work. then I have had 6 Removal calls so far this year. they are starting to get active.

john

Hey 10 framer. have you ever done a house removal. let me know I have one here in Gray that I am having to do pretty soon if you want to get your hands sticky having some fun.

John

Offline RC

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #46 on: March 16, 2014, 07:26:31 pm »
Caught one today, it was a whopper. They were pretty aggravating, way up in a oak tree. I tried to knock them out a few times, but they kept going back to the limb. So I took the pole saw to the limb. Managed to get them in a box right ahead of a storm. That's the second one for me this year.

Offline 10framer

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #47 on: March 16, 2014, 09:20:46 pm »
divemaster,
i've done a lot of them.  have you been to look at what you'll be dealing with?  knowing ahead of time really helps in making things easier.  i'll pm you.
i'm about a half hour from kathleen.  there are empty queen cups in most of my hives.  i'll be making more 5 frame nucs later this week.  i think if i wait much longer than that they'll be hanging in the trees.

Offline gov1623

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #48 on: March 16, 2014, 09:26:34 pm »
Caught two more swarms today pushing my swarm count up to three for the year.
One was about 2lbs that I shook into a deep nuc.
The second one was a big swarm about 5 to 6 lbs. Shook this one into a double medium.
My bees on on a good flow right now with the blackberry blooming. This is the most blackberry nectar that I ever seen coming in. Looking good so far.
Who Dat!!!

Moots

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #49 on: March 16, 2014, 10:13:58 pm »
Caught two more swarms today pushing my swarm count up to three...
...My bees on on a good flow right now with the blackberry blooming. This is the most blackberry nectar that I ever seen coming in. Looking good so far.

Gov,
Sounds good, I'm at three also, but 2 were in my bee yard, and while I don't know with certainty that they were mine, I'm thinking that's where the smart money would go.  :-D

Help educate me...because I'm terrible about know if the flow is on or not, much less what particular flow it is.

Exactly what do you mean when you say you are "seeing" blackberry nectar coming in?


Offline gov1623

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #50 on: March 16, 2014, 10:22:09 pm »
Caught two more swarms today pushing my swarm count up to three...
...My bees on on a good flow right now with the blackberry blooming. This is the most blackberry nectar that I ever seen coming in. Looking good so far.

Gov,
Sounds good, I'm at three also, but 2 were in my bee yard, and while I don't know with certainty that they were mine, I'm thinking that's where the smart money would go.  :-D

Help educate me...because I'm terrible about know if the flow is on or not, much less what particular flow it is.

Exactly what do you mean when you say you are "seeing" blackberry nectar coming in?



Moots, The blackberry bushes around me are starting to come into full bloom and the bees are working it hard. The nectar that they are bringing in is from the blackberrys. Some of my strong hives almost filled a full super already.
Who Dat!!!

Offline RC

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #51 on: March 23, 2014, 09:32:36 pm »
#3 today, this one from one of my own hives. It was a real easy one, they left the hive and pitched in a bush, not 50 yards from the hive. I shook them off into a box. The whole thing didn't last 30 minutes from start to finish.

Offline dprater

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #52 on: March 25, 2014, 06:19:06 am »
Looks like yall catch lots of swarms. I have always giving them open brood, pollen/honey and feed them. Do yall do that with all the swarm you catch? It would tax my hives if I got that many swarms.

dan

Offline cdray

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #53 on: March 25, 2014, 09:44:56 am »
One of my hives swarmed last Wed, 05/19/2014. I came home from work about two in the afternoon, and bees were flying everywhere. I was able to get them into a box and I did see the queen. Looked to be at least 3 lbs of bees.

Offline D Semple

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #54 on: March 25, 2014, 10:04:44 am »
Do yall do that with all the swarm you catch? It would tax my hives if I got that many swarms.

dan

More equipment, I only started out wanting to have 2 hives, now three years later I've got something like 40 and would have more but I've sold a bunch.

Stupid JP and schawee video's screwed up my life.   ;)

I've even got fatter from eaten to many shakes and Chineses


Don

Offline tefer2

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #55 on: March 25, 2014, 10:47:43 am »
Do yall do that with all the swarm you catch? It would tax my hives if I got that many swarms.

dan

More equipment, I only started out wanting to have 2 hives, now three years later I've got something like 40 and would have more but I've sold a bunch.

Stupid JP and schawee video's screwed up my life.   ;)

I've even got fatter from eaten to many shakes and Chineses

 :lau: :lau:


Don

Offline 10framer

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #56 on: March 25, 2014, 01:55:56 pm »
Looks like yall catch lots of swarms. I have always giving them open brood, pollen/honey and feed them. Do yall do that with all the swarm you catch? It would tax my hives if I got that many swarms.

dan

dan, i usually just throw them on foundation (drawn comb if i have it) and check back in a week or so.  they aren't going to swarm if they can't build up.  i'm not a big fan of setting a strong hive back to prop up another one. 

Offline cdray

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #57 on: March 25, 2014, 07:11:30 pm »
I just shook swarm # 2, from a camellia bush in town. Looked to be about 3 lbs.

Offline buzzbee

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #58 on: March 26, 2014, 07:56:47 am »
Got a dusting of snow here this morning. I'm getting swarm envy! :)

Offline GSF

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Re: 2014 swarms
« Reply #59 on: March 26, 2014, 10:19:36 am »
3-25; Swarm - Montgomery, Alabama.

(I missed it - but thanks Dan for the heads up)
When the law no longer protects you from the corrupt, but protects the corrupt from you - then you know your nation is doomed.

 

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