rooftop swarm

[duck]

ok, homeowner sent me a pic. so set the nuc box on the ladder and sweep em with a broom off into the box? or what?

[Shawn]

I think sweeping you might chance injuring the queen. I would say vac if you had one. WHy cant you put the nuc with a touch of lemon grass in it right beside them on the roof?

[rbinhood]

There's probably more bees down in the gutter, I have see swarms like this with the majority of the bees would be down inside.  Vac is the best way to go.

[Robo]

Either that is a tiny secondary or tertiary swarm or they have started to move into the soffit or wall and the majority of them are now inside.  If it is a tiny entrance hole,  it can take hours for the whole swarm to move in.

[Robo]

Or on second look,  is that a pile of bees  or leaves on the shingles?   If that is the swarm, I would set a nuc box right by them and let them walk in.     I've never seen a swarm "ON" a roof.

[schawee]

im with robo, place a nuc with brood comb( if you have some) next to them.they will march right in.

[duck]

when I got there that pile on the roof had doubled and the gutter ball moved up with the rest..  put a box down and got a few stings in the face. no march.. they were upset as I figure the live oak above the roof was most likely where they came from.  we had 60 mph gusts move through yesterday evening and they probly got blown down. they werent happy at all.  suited up and sucked 3 full buckets of bees up.  this is the biggest swarm ive seen yet.  it filled a deep with bees, i put a medium on top to give them some room. dang mang.

[G3farms]

That is a big swarm for sure, ezy pzy of a catch.

The bee vac works wonders for jobs like that.

[Shawn]

That is a big swarm. Great photo

[AllenF]

Second the vac.    But good looking swarm.   Never seen them spread out on a roof like that before.