Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: ArmucheeBee on April 06, 2009, 09:32:14 pm
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After having an article in the local paper I am getting plenty of calls and swarms just started here in N. GA. One on Friday was about 1.5 lbs, but today with this cold front coming I got one that has to be 3-4 lbs. In the bush it was about 8 inches across and hung down about 16 inches. Why did I buy those two packages this year???? What a waste of money. I could have built several mediums from that!!
Question: I had to put them in the hive with the limbs (no bigger than 1 inch diameter, but many). It was almost dark and 40 degrees. If the bees are still clinging to them tomorrow or on the sides of the upper boxes and have not moved down into the frames, should I add a frame of brood from another hive to get them down??? I had to use 3 meds. bottom is frames and two empty for the chick feeder/limbs. Frames are plastic, but don't no bad comments please as none of my 6 hives have had a problem with plastic. I do not want this turning into a thread about plastic, been there. So add brood frame??
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Just shake them into a hive box with frames and foundation and put the top on. If you have some drawn comb that will give them a jump start. Feed them a little 1:1 sugar syrup. You will be amazed how fast they will draw the wax on the empty frames. I had a swarm draw 20 frames in just over a week!
Good luck with the swarms. I picked up one this afternoon.
Steve
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Are you "swarm king of middle georgia" now? They are in the box. Just wondering about all the limbs with them. The scent + wax is all over the limbs--two days worth now.
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Get the limb out and shake the bees in the hive. You will have a mess if you don't.
Steve