caught a second swarm!!!!

[wildbeekeeper]

So I got two calls this morning about two swarms.....the first was the size of a football and about 2 ft off the ground.. I was 2 minutes away and the guy called back and said they left and he didnt see them go.  The second swarm was in a condo association in a tree about 15 feet up .....the guy said they had been there since friday and that they left yesterday and the numbers were reduced but then they came back.  So I get there and they are 25 feet at the top of a bradford pear limb AT the top!  from the looks it seemed a healthly size ball.  So I spray them with sugar water (Im waiting for my smoker to be delivered by UPS) and holding a cardboard box with one hand i give the branch a good shaker and all the bees fall in the box (which is now heavy!!!!!!  Itw as bigger than I thought!  I took the box down and closed it up and legt an opening and the bees starting puring in and also to the side of the box... got the queen!  I waited a few minutes and went back up and there was still a ball or a cluster on the branch, so I sray and shake.... more bees on the branch so I decide to cut the brach which goes well.....all this goes down to main box and gets skaen in. (I need to start carrying my camera around for these things!!!!!)

Thats when I notice the branch.... it has the beginnings of a well made foundation of comb on it and the leaves...I'll take pictures here shortly and post!!  I took the bees to my parenst (since he now has gotten the bug again and wants to get back into beekeeping) put them in the hive and away I went

THis swarm catching is exciting!!!!!  I am so glad I went this route instead of buying bees!!!  Im looking forward to sharing more with everyone here and I will post pics of the limb with comb later tonite!

Steve
"wildbeekeeper"

[KONASDAD]

good job. They were making a home, probably b/c of the bad weather we had, didn't find a home fast enough. I dont use smokers on swarms. Sugar spray works, doesn't make you smell for work, doesn't cause fires in your car and doesn't neeed lighting.
I have learned that swarms get smaller and higher as you pull into driveway!

[Keith13]

I have learned that swarms get smaller and higher as you pull into driveway!

boy you said a mouthful of truth there