First swarm of 2012 in SE Colorado

[Shawn]

I got a call from dispatch at about 7:30 p.m. saying there were bees covering a pole at the tennis Courts. The Tennis courts are next to a school. I went and checked them out right before it turned dark. I thought I would be able to put the box near them, smoke a little and watch the march. NOPE! the temp was to cool and they were not breaking their cluster. I dont havea  vac so I tried the scoop method with my hand and that didnt go so well. I ended up geting as many as I could in the box, closed the box up and will go back tomorrow. Hear are a few pictures of the swarm.

[Shawn]

Forgot: See the tea can at the bottom? The can was full of bees. I shook them out and got rid of the can.

[JP]

Nice swarm & pictures!


...JP

[duck]

kick chop da pole!

[G3farms]

Really ice looking swarm!

A little smoke might have got them little pole dancers moving!

[CVBees]

A little smoke might have got them little pole dancers moving!

:lau:

Grats on your first (and hopefully not last) swarm

[AllenF]

It is great to find a swarm that low to the ground.

[Shawn]

Need help from the pros! I went back yesterday and the same clusters were still there. It was 70 degrees bees were flying in and out from the clusters, hive body was full but not even smoke was breaking them free. I had to vacuum them up and take off with what was there. I added another deep and dumped the bees from the vac in with the rest. Did I do something wrong or why would the bees not break. I should have taken a photo because the clusters were all different places on the pole and fence. I thought maybe I had missed the queen but you would think the small clusters would move together to cover her. My theory is the deep was too full so they stayed out  :?

[G3farms]

I would say you had several after swarms with virgin queens in each one of the little bunches.

[Shawn]

 :? :? :? So if there are after swarms and mutiple queens, like in schawee's catches, and they are all put into one hive what happens? Do the queens fight to the death, do the queens and their swarms take off, would it be nice that they might all get along and make a SUPER HIVE  :-D :-D