Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DOWN UNDER BEEKEEPING => Topic started by: gregted on October 06, 2011, 05:42:51 am
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Been checking out a lot of swarm videos and stories and most beeks don't wear any protective gear while collecting swarms.
My question is why don't bees sting when swarming?
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1) they have nothing to defend.
2) they are stuffed full of honey when they leave.
Despite that I would wear protective equipment. I have had them fall down the back of my neck when I wasn't and I greatly regretted it. They may be a "dry" swarm, meaning they burned up that stomach full of honey the took along because they haven't found a house yet and have been there a few days.
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How can I tell if the swarm is dry or not ??? bee for it is to late ???
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
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i dont wear protection, but have had dry swarms put me back in my truck hunting my jacket while wiping off bees
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How can I tell if the swarm is dry or not ??? bee for it is to late ???
BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)
Just poke them a couple of times and they will tell ya. When I get a swarm call it one of my standard questions. "Do you know how long they have been there" If the answer is a few days they are dry. The worst stinging I got this year came from a swarm that attached when I shook them. I had my jacket on so my face was protected but my hands took a bunch w/ wedding ring on. They chased me for about 50yards while i was trying to unzip my hood to wet my ring finger before the swelling got started
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Last swarm I picked up had been there more than a week :shock: They'd coated the entire branch, leaves and sticks inside the ball with wax, even some deformed cells.
I suit up for everything to do with bees, I don't like getting stung if I can easily avoid it so why take the risk.
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Generally speaking swarms are going to be docile but...
That swarm you are about to shake could have been down the street yesterday and had kids throw rocks at it, dislodged, went two hundred yards to be sprayed with a water hose by some lil grandmother!
You just never know what you gonna get, so...
Keep a bottle of sugar water with you at all times, this has calmed many a swarm that appeared agitated and quite possibly hungry.
I like to test their temperament with an open palm. If they begin shaking from side to side as if agitated (which they probably are) I lightly spray them with feed and give them several minutes to calm down. I then again do the open hand touch.
Sometimes you still get stung but that just goes with the territory! :-D
...JP
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Oh they do sting! they do! but as others have said it depends on if they're a fresh swarm or an old swarm - and it depends on how you handle them... call me a pansy but i suit up the same for a swarm as i do for a hot hive... why get stung if you don't have to?
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shake one in a thunderstorm :-D