Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: D Semple on April 25, 2012, 01:05:16 pm

Title: Small After-swarms
Post by: D Semple on April 25, 2012, 01:05:16 pm
Know the experts are all at Bud4, so I thought I'd show you how a Kansas amateur handles swarms. 

http://youtu.be/0_9N84R4A8s (http://youtu.be/0_9N84R4A8s)


Don
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: yockey5 on April 25, 2012, 01:50:01 pm
enjoyed the video and I got a chuckle out of your retreat!  :lau:
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: morb on April 25, 2012, 02:30:54 pm
(http://maps.google.com/maps/api/staticmap?center=51.152112,-102.650548&zoom=15&size=480x320&maptype=roadmap&markers=51.152112,-102.650548&sensor=true)Unnamed Rd, Willowbrook, SK S0A 4P0, Canada

You're a lot braver than I am lol
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: annette on April 25, 2012, 04:14:31 pm
Don

Were those frames with starter strips?? Did you place a frame with full drawn out comb in the center of the supers?

Nice video, thanks for sharing.

Annette
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: D Semple on April 25, 2012, 07:17:47 pm
Don

Were those frames with starter strips?? Did you place a frame with full drawn out comb in the center of the supers?

Nice video, thanks for sharing.

Annette

Yes, I have almost no absconding issues catching swarms using foundationless frames. The drawn frame in the middle is just to provide a guide to help the bees draw their combs straight, the bees actually will adopt the box sooner without the drawn comb.

If your not able to catch up the queen (like I am), the secret to keeping swarms happy is NO PLASTIC in the hive, and then to move them at night fall and then not to bother them for a couple of 3 weeks.


My wife got me a yellow good luck parasol.

Thanks,

Don
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: jmblakeney on April 25, 2012, 11:27:18 pm
Great video Don,

That 2nd swarm turned out to be a lot bigger than it first looked like.  Three swarm captures in six min.  Great job.

James
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: annette on April 26, 2012, 12:55:32 am
Yes Don, I also do just starter strips with a drawn out comb in the middle. I was just curious because I could not see the starter strips in the video.

That's very sweet about your wife getting you the parasol. She must have a great sense of humor as well :-D
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: D Semple on April 26, 2012, 09:52:06 am
Yes Don, I also do just starter strips with a drawn out comb in the middle. I was just curious because I could not see the starter strips in the video.

That's very sweet about your wife getting you the parasol. She must have a great sense of humor as well :-D

Ornery, is what she is:

(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj72/DSemple/Bees%202011/Pam%20D/4eb1e1c8.jpg)
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: AllenF on April 26, 2012, 09:59:46 am
How many of the tree swarms are still boxed today?
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: D Semple on April 26, 2012, 06:04:41 pm
How many of the tree swarms are still boxed today?

Very good question Allen, 2 of the 3. The one I lost was the last little one hived in the video.

When I went back to pick them up later that evening I found one hive helter skelter with the lid removed and the bees gone, I think kids or a dog must have upset the hive. I suspect the bees joined one of the other swarm boxes but I don't know for sure it was dark.

Stupid mistake on my part I generally ratchet strap all my hives before I transport them and I should have done it before I left, still very much a rookie.

Other than that (knock on wood) I've only had 1 of 14 abscond so far this year and I think that was because I inadvertantly dumped 2 primary swarms that had combined into the same box.

Just for the record I think it's alway better to catch up the queen, I'm just lowsy at finding queens.

Don
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: Country Heart on April 27, 2012, 02:42:45 am
Enjoyed the video.

Wow, three swarms - looks like you found the magical bee tree!
I bet if you added a swarm lure to the tree and next time they might just move themselves in.   :)
Title: Re: Small After-swarms
Post by: ME Girl on April 27, 2012, 04:45:27 pm
Wow that was great!