Author Topic: Having fun now! (Read 6449 times)

hardwood · « **on:** March 08, 2011, 12:53:00 pm »

Just bagged our 3rd swarm of the season. This one actually came from the pop-up camper that's going up to Bud's.

The swarm issued with us (Peggy and I) watching the whole spectacular thing and lit on a small pine tree. Peggy got the honors with this one and did a fine job in hiving them.

No video of it :'( but I did get some still pics that I'll post this evening.

WHAT A GREAT MORNING!!

Scott

phil c · « **Reply #1 on:** March 08, 2011, 01:02:41 pm »

Your makin me jealous! its still a month or more before any swarms up here!

AllenF · « **Reply #2 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:17:24 pm »

Sweet. Can't wait for the pics.

dean0 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:40:55 pm »

Scott, now that you have another swarm, I suppose you want your nuc box back pretty quick. The nuc I got from you last night has been transfered into my hive box this afternoon without any problems. The nuc box is empty so I can bring it by if your going to be home.

Dean0

hardwood · « **Reply #4 on:** March 08, 2011, 09:54:49 pm »

Thanks for getting it back to me so fast Dean, I really appreciate it. I've all but run out of nuc equipment already. I need to sell off some bees and build some extras I guess.

http://s871.photobucket.com/albums/ab277/hardwood01/?action=view&current=popupswarmMar811003.jpg

http://s871.photobucket.com/albums/ab277/hardwood01/?action=view&current=popupswarmMar811005.jpg

http://s871.photobucket.com/albums/ab277/hardwood01/?action=view&current=popupswarmMar811007.jpg

http://s871.photobucket.com/albums/ab277/hardwood01/?action=view&current=popupswarmMar811008.jpg

http://s871.photobucket.com/albums/ab277/hardwood01/?action=view&current=popupswarmMar811009.jpg

Scott

JP · « **Reply #5 on:** March 08, 2011, 10:55:24 pm »

Scott, one of these days I would love to come over your way and catch pigs and remove bees with you guys. Just watched your initiation video again and was cracking up again!

...JP

hardwood · « **Reply #6 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:35:26 pm »

You're welcome anytime JP! Might just have to take you fishin' or shrimpin' or clammin' or crabbin' or oysterin' while we're at it!

Scott

JP · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:39:35 pm »

All of the above is fine by me. I'm an outdoor dude through and through.

...JP

hardwood · « **Reply #8 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:46:52 pm »

BTW, this was Peggy's first solo swarm shake. She's helped out on bunches of them but today I just clipped back some brush for her and she did the rest. She did great!

Scott

JP · « **Reply #9 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:49:21 pm »

Bet you're real proud of her! Bet she'll be telling all her friends what she did for weeks to come!

...JP

annette · « **Reply #10 on:** March 08, 2011, 11:58:14 pm »

Great photos Scott and Peggy. Glad you were able to catch one all by yourself Peggy. It is a great achievement for a beekeeper. So wonderful you have this to share together and it made me feel that I wish I was sharing this hobby with my hubby as well. But I am truly grateful I have been able to actually do this for several years now with minimal help.

Take care and thanks for sharing all the photos and videos.

Annette

annette · « **Reply #11 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:00:26 am »

Quote from: JP on March 08, 2011, 11:49:21 pm

Bet you're real proud of her! Bet she'll be telling all her friends what she did for weeks to come!

...JP

Remember JP, my first swarm catch. I had you on the phone the whole time walking me through it all. I was so excited, and nervous at the same time. I was also very proud to post here about the swarm catch.

JP · « **Reply #12 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:10:43 am »

Annette, I don't know if you realize what impact your enthusiasm had on me during that time. It was a wonderful experience for me as well, as I know it was for Peggy.

...JP

jmblakeney · « **Reply #13 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:11:35 am »

Awesome. That is great. I can't wait to see a swarm, I have never saw a swarm first hand, only in pics.

Quote from: hardwood on March 08, 2011, 11:46:52 pm

BTW, this was Peggy's first solo swarm shake. She's helped out on bunches of them but today I just clipped back some brush for her and she did the rest. She did great!

congratulations...

Quote from: hardwood on March 08, 2011, 11:35:26 pm

Might just have to take you fishin' or shrimpin' or clammin' or crabbin' or oysterin' while we're at it!

come up here and we'll try some grabblin'. I had a few guys want me to go with them but never took them up on it. I bet it'd be a hoot with you guys.

Quote from: JP on March 08, 2011, 10:55:24 pm

Just watched your initiation video again and was cracking up again!

Jp or Scott is there a link to this anywhere I'd like to watch it.

hardwood · « **Reply #14 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:22:45 am »

Let me see if this works (first time posting thread link).

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,29013.0.html

If you look hard enough you'll find Irwin's video that started the whole thing (gee thanks Irwin :-D) and JP and Schawee have them as well. Always looking for new members to the club!

Scott

jmblakeney · « **Reply #15 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:43:05 am »

:lau: OMGosh that is too funny. I had saw Schawee's before, but didn't realize what was going on. Haha. I'm assuming the unwritten rule is you have to do an initiation vid. Before you can post a vid. I couldn't find Irwin's or JP's, i'll keep looking for them.
Thanks for the laugh Scott.

James

annette · « **Reply #16 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:48:19 am »

Last Spring I was working one hive, when I heard this really loud roar. I thought it was coming from down the road or something. But when I looked over at the next hive, I realized they were getting ready to swarm. I quickly closed up the hive I was inspecting and watched the entire swarming process from the very beginning. It was so unbelievable watching all these bees come pouring out of the hive so quickly and fill the air all around. The air felt very electric to me and I was silly with laughter. It was a very happy event.

I watched them come together on an oak tree just a few yards away from the hive and about 20 feet up. A very large swarm and I could not get to them. But I was watching and watching them and suddenly after about 1/2 hour, they all started to fly back into the hive.

I was so happy they came back, that I immediately split this hive which totally stopped the swarming impulse.

Good luck to you on getting your first swarm.

Watching it is wonderful as well.

Annette

hardwood · « **Reply #17 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:56:53 am »

Annette, a swarm is one of nature's most awe inspiring events and one I'll never tire of. Being in the middle of a large swarm with what seems to be millions of bees swirling around you is enough to knock a good dose of religion into even the most ardent non believer! I'm happy for you to be fortunate enough to witness that!

Scott

jmblakeney · « **Reply #18 on:** March 09, 2011, 12:59:55 am »

Quote from: annette on March 09, 2011, 12:48:19 am

they all started to fly back into the hive

Wow, never heard of that before.
That was a great story, thanks for sharing it, Annette.

Quote from: annette on March 09, 2011, 12:48:19 am

Good luck to you on getting your first swarm.

Thank you, I really hope I can get one this year. I have 15 traps to put out, and I am currently putting my name out around there area. We'll see how it goes.

jmblakeney · « **Reply #19 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:24:49 am »

Quote from: hardwood on March 09, 2011, 12:22:45 am

If you look hard enough you'll find Irwin's video that started the whole thing (gee thanks Irwin :-D) and JP and Schawee have them as well.

I found them. They are too funny.

Initiation videos

Quote from: hardwood on March 09, 2011, 12:22:45 am

Always looking for new members to the club!

Maybe someday.

hardwood · « **Reply #20 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:44:43 am »

OK, here's the interesting part. It's been a really fun several days with the bees. I've gotten calls for swarms and cut outs and we even started two trap outs from oak trees on Monday.

I went to a woman's house that I mentor this evening to help her untangle a foundationless hive that she hadn't touched in about 6mos. The hive was a total mess and had recently swarmed...I'm thinking within the last day or so. It was full of queen cells, some ripe, some which had emerged, and no sign of the queen. I took cells and what brood there was and pulled two splits off it giving each 4-5 cells. I also took away one nice cell and caught an emerging virgin and caged her. I put the cell in a cage as well and put them both in with the swarm from today hoping they will be safe. I'll transfer the swarm to an out yard in the morning and will see if the trap out(s) will take the cell and virgin. I hate to give the trap out(s) frames of open brood as the SHB have destroyed them when I tried this in the past.

I've only introduced virgins to a hive a couple of times...with success, but am a little worried about introducing one to a broodless trap out. We'll just have to see how this one pans out.

Scott

Tommyt · « **Reply #21 on:** March 09, 2011, 07:50:30 am »

Great post pictures and wisdom going on, once again on BeeMaster
I got to get across the state and meet you guys
Thanks for posting the pictures
As Emeril says
Kicked it up a Notch
This time a few notch's

Tommyt

annette · « **Reply #22 on:** March 09, 2011, 01:19:17 pm »

Quote from: jmblakeney on March 09, 2011, 12:59:55 am

Wow, never heard of that before.
That was a great story, thanks for sharing it, Annette.

Apparently it happens sometimes. They fly off and then realize the queen hasn't flown out with them, so they all go back in.

JP · « **Reply #23 on:** March 09, 2011, 03:55:13 pm »

Quote from: annette on March 09, 2011, 01:19:17 pm

Quote from: jmblakeney on March 09, 2011, 12:59:55 am

Wow, never heard of that before.
That was a great story, thanks for sharing it, Annette.

Apparently it happens sometimes. They fly off and then realize the queen hasn't flown out with them, so they all go back in.

I've watched many swarms that I have housed leave the catch box while the queen was caged. I've watched them leave a few different times on occasion and they always return.

It happens sometimes on site but usually happens IMO when they are hungry, before I've had the chance to feed them and when there is no significant flow on.

The swarm I housed March 1st is a case in point. They left twice to return, but once I began feeding them they anchored themselves. I released the queen the evening I started feeding them and they have been happy since.

...JP