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Author Topic: My First Swarm Call-Country Village  (Read 2180 times)

Offline dean0

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My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« on: March 28, 2012, 06:45:11 pm »
I got my first swarm call yesterday afternoon around 4:30pm from a retirement community.  I was told the bees had only been in the tree for about an hour.  When I asked how high the bees were, the response was "oh about half way up".  Not bad if the tree is 10 foot tall but this turned about to be a 40 foot tree. I only had a 16 foot ladder but needed an additional 2 or 3 foot to safely reach the hive.  The property owner had a pick-up truck so we used the bed of the truck to gain the additional feet. I climbed the ladder to remove some branches that were in the way and while up next to the hive, I thought it would be a good time to show the audience how docile a swarm of honeybees are and proceeded to handle some bees barehanded.  I had to do it twice because part of the audience was slow in taking pictures :).  I came down and suited up because I did not want to take a hit to the face since I had a meeting to go to the following day. I  contemplated about removing the limb but thought it would be easier to brush the bees into a 5 gallon bucket. I climbed the ladder with the bucket and used my hand to brush the bees into the bucket.  After most of the bees were in the bucket, I came down and dumped them into a hive body. My audience kept asking if I got the queen.  I told them if they re-orient to the tree then NO but if they orient to the hive body YES.    About 5 minutes later one on my audience members said they were starting to swarm again.  I told them to watch where they were "swarming".  They noticed the bees were leaving the limb and then realized they were flying down and orienting to the hive body.  That is when I told them I had the queen.  I used a screen bottom board and there were a lot on bees under the hive body. I slid the top cover over to create a small opening and told my audience they would soon see the bees marching into the hive.  5-10 minutes later the march started and with about 10 minutes, the majority of the bees were inside their new home.  What an exciting adventure and I loved that I was able to educate the residence of this retirement community about the benefits of honeybees and how they are very docile when they swarm. Here a link to the pictures my wife took: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=dean1929&target=ALBUM&id=5724749053128780449&authkey=Gv1sRgCKGQ39Xn0sfVRw&feat=email

I have my first solo cutout to do on Friday.  These bees have been in the wall for over a year and were very active when I visited them last week but they were not aggressive.  My first cutout was last year in Paisley with Hardwood and I a learned a lot on that trip.  Hardwood is helping me again with this cutout by loaning me his bee vac but other than that I am on my own.  Wish me luck.

Dean0

Offline jmblakeney

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2012, 08:29:19 pm »
Congrats, and great looking pics.  The first swarm is extremely exciting. 
"I believe the best social program is a job...." - Ronald Reagan

Offline Kathyp

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2012, 08:35:19 pm »
good for you!!  it is exciting.   :-D
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline G3farms

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2012, 09:06:58 pm »
Great job!!

Always fun when you have an audience.

Good luck on the cut out too!!
those hot bees will have you steppin and a fetchin like your heads on fire and your keister is a catchin!!!

Bees will be bees and do as they please!

Offline AllenF

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2012, 09:53:44 pm »
Great photos.   And what were those people doing up so late in the afternoon at that retirement community?   :-D

Offline hardwood

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2012, 10:42:01 pm »
They were all heading out for the early bird special at Cracker Barrel I bet.

Scott
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...And we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

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Offline schawee

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2012, 11:01:24 pm »
good job deano, i just love them swarm calls. im with scott(early bird special) with the crowd.good luck on you cutout.      .......schawee
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Offline Lone

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Re: My First Swarm Call-Country Village
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2012, 12:04:32 am »
You're going to have to arrange more swarms, Deano - I can see you being booked in as part of the regular activities program.

Lone

 

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