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MEMBER BULLETIN BOARD => PHOTO PAGE - MEMBER PHOTOS & BEE-MOVIES HERE! => Topic started by: GaryMinckler on May 24, 2009, 09:56:11 pm

Title: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on May 24, 2009, 09:56:11 pm
(http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/8830/1000650.th.jpg) (http://img199.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000650.jpg)

Any ideas on how to catch it?
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on July 01, 2009, 06:41:16 pm
Caught first swarm and it turned into a thriving colony then....(http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/3061/1000725b.th.jpg) (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/1000725b.jpg/)
Caught this one too.
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: Kathyp on July 01, 2009, 06:46:23 pm
those are nice looking swarms!  i like them better when they are hanging off the end of the branch :-).  i am getting lazy in my old age.

those look like keepers.  how many lbs do you think they were?
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on July 01, 2009, 06:53:29 pm
I sprayed the second swarm witha little sugar syrup before I shook the branch.  When the bees hit the box it almost ripped it out of my hand.  3-4 lbs??
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: G3farms on July 01, 2009, 06:58:45 pm
Nice swarms, did you get both of them put up?

G3
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on July 01, 2009, 07:46:05 pm
Second one has only been a hive 3 hours.  First one is storing honey.
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on July 09, 2009, 04:25:29 pm
Swarm #3.  This swarm landed on exactly the same branch as previous one 8 days ago.(http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8098/1000735s.th.jpg) (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/1000735s.jpg/)
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: Kathyp on July 09, 2009, 04:33:53 pm
i have picked up a couple that have done that.  one lady has a swarm land in the same tree almost every year.  i don't know if it's scent, genetic memory, or what.  now i always tell people to keep my number.  you never know.....

also took a swarm and had the guy call  me back a few days later to tell me i missed the queen and a small clump of bees were back.  i knew i had her and the bees.  i figure this was an afterswarm maybe led by the same scout bees?  they are interesting critters. 
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: homer on July 09, 2009, 09:45:13 pm
That swarm looks really big!  Congrats!
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: bhfury on July 10, 2009, 01:18:35 am
Great Job.... do you always get some this late in the year?
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: GaryMinckler on July 10, 2009, 03:03:59 am
I would think this is late for a swarm.  Only my third year so I don't really know if this is abnormally late. One swarm last year that I know and at least 3 this year and 2 in the last 8 days
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: applebwoi on July 19, 2009, 03:14:33 am
Nice swarms.  I alway spray with sugar water when hiving a swarm.  We typically have maximum swarming in April and May and then some late season swarms in September.  I always wondered about these late swarms since they are almost certainly doomed to starvation in the wild. i feed them and they have always survived just fine and gone on to be good producers the next year.
Title: Re: First swarm
Post by: Karl Wisconsin on August 05, 2009, 04:45:38 pm
All great looking swarms. I'm in southern Wisconsin and had my best swarm season in the last few. Caught several really nice ones and about 4 average sized ones. Just seems like the populations are back up. Not sure if mine were feral or domestic. They are always fun to catch and each one is a bit different.  I generally always give them a gentle spray of sugar water before boxing them.