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Author Topic: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.  (Read 3269 times)

Offline Evan W

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Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« on: September 30, 2013, 02:00:48 pm »
Got home from church yesterday just in time to see one of my hives throw a swarm. Wouldn't you know it they clustered about 25' up in a small oak next to my hives. So I put to use all those hours of reading everyone's posts on beemaster. I read somewhere that if you can throw a rope near the cluster and pull a frame of comb near them they will break cluster (with help :) ) and move to the comb, and that's exactly what they did. Found and caged the queen gave them a frame of honey and of course everybody else got jealous. Came home today and it was robbed out, 2 frames of honey gone in less than 4 hours. 

I did learn a lot tho and had a lot of fun.

Offline rwlaw

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2013, 12:15:49 am »
Good tip, have to remember that, but what was the help that got em going on the frame?
Can't ever say that bk'n ain't a learning experience!

Moots

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2013, 12:41:30 am »
Good tip, have to remember that, but what was the help that got em going on the frame?

He said a frame of comb, but I've always heard of doing this with a frame of brood...the bees will move to cover it.

Offline Evan W

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2013, 01:45:46 pm »
I was able to shake the cluster with my frame line (the help I mentioned above). So after a few shakes they were all on the comb and not on the branch.

Offline Evan W

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2013, 01:46:53 pm »
The swarm was only a solid medium frame of bees, pretty small.

Offline rwlaw

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2013, 08:25:04 pm »
I figured that was what you did, but I wanted to be sure, I know a 97 yr old bk that was chasing around a swarm (his granddaughter was telling me) from one of his hives & the old boy was trying everything from a stepladder to drumming on a empty hive box, it was a hoot to listen her describe what he was doing to catch that swarm! I'll make sure & let him know that trick.
Can't ever say that bk'n ain't a learning experience!

Offline tefer2

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #6 on: October 02, 2013, 09:20:44 am »
I've had good luck hoisting a 5 frame nuc up on a rope to lure them in.
Just make sure you have some open brood in there. :th_thumbsupup:

Offline buzzbee

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Re: Good news, caught a swarm. Bad news they were robbed.
« Reply #7 on: October 02, 2013, 09:49:47 pm »
Sounds like you need a small entrance refducer on your nic.