Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum
BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: bailey on March 24, 2013, 10:09:40 pm
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Whew!!!!!what a day !!!!!!!!!!!
Started early and pulled honey from 4 hives this morning. Got 3 1/2 supers full and came home to extract.
In case you northern beeks forgot what it looks like pic is below :evil:
(http://s17.postimg.org/nu14n4g6j/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/nu14n4g6j/)
Got about half way through and bam, another swarm call. Down the bayou about 45 minutes away.
Didn't really want to get it cause I had planned on sitting on my butt this afternoon! But that was not to be.
Tried to overprice the removal but they were willing to pay the fee, dammit!
Grabbed a nuc and 4 empty frames, grabbed an old comb that I had just extracted and dropped it into the nuc and down the road I go.
When I arrive I find that this swarm had flown into the garage and went to the back of the building.
They went in between a floor joist in the loft of the garage.
Had to scoop bees by hand into the nuc. Got most out and on the nuc then smoked the area till the remaining bees came running out looking for momma.
Placed a ladder near the swarm site and nuc went on top the ladder. Moved ladder out the garage door a few feet at a time and finally got it outside.
Took an hour to get them all in.
Made it back home just in time for supper.
Video of this swarm is very interesting. Posted below, look for series swarm#17
Oddest swarm in my career !
Bailey
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJzvd9g3Vo007vtCbkQ1Ww?feature=plcp (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnJzvd9g3Vo007vtCbkQ1Ww?feature=plcp)
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Nice big swarm. They just picked the back side of that garage because they wanted a shady cool spot out of the sun.
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hey Bailey. if you run out of room I have space over here in Gray you can leave them. :-D
When you want to take a break is when you are at your busiest.
John
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Nice lookin swarm Bailey. I may have to make some nucs to catch em in. I ususally just take a 10 frame super, have taken a big rubber maid container. Then brought home a dumped in super. I have got on a list and haven't seen a swarm yet this year. You will have a good size bee yard if this keeps up. Good going
Joe
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Show off! I'm looking at 8 inches of snow on the ground so I'm a little touchy...
Seriously nice huge catch. Did you ever find the queen? What made them finally move into the box? Did you use smoke to get them to move? I've never had one quite like that. When I've had swarms that were slower than I needed or setting up outside the box I've used smoke to get them moving inside. Personally, I don't look for the queen (not good at it in swarms or cut outs) and I always use a frame of open brood to draw them in.
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D coats
I moved a lot of the bees into the nuc by hand then I smoked a lot of them out of their hole.
Then I used smoke sparingly to chase them in
As far as finding a queen in that swarm? I ain't that lucky.
And I used brood comb and lemon grass oil lures.
Went back before daylight this morning and put a nuc super on to make a 2 story 10 frame nuc so they would be less prone to swarm out.
Will check tomorrow to see what they are up to.
Bailey.
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Bailey you better hope some of them northerners you keep teasing don't come to bud5... They might bring you a swarm of bumble bees as a cut out... Lol glad I am from the south 8-)
Kidding aside, great job. What a great way to start a year... ;)
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I'm working hard to get this many but I am quite surprised and kinda humbled at what Mother Nature is throwing my way.
Sure cant complain not one little bit!
Bailey