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Author Topic: Swarms in Autumn  (Read 10129 times)

Offline Anybrew

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Re: Swarms in Autumn
« Reply #20 on: August 26, 2013, 08:08:08 pm »
Well I just hived another swarm yesterday and its still Winter. I had noticed one of my Hives was starting to beard and thought I would go through them on the weekend and pull a little honey off them to give them some room.

As it turned out I heard and saw the whirl wind of a swarm and sure enough they came from my bearding hive.
The swarm would have been easily been 4 kgs/9lbs ish and they settled in a Pine tree at chest height awesome. So within twenty minutes they were hived in their new home. I love swarms :-D


I hived them in two 8 frame deeps, with the bottom deep framed up and I used the top box as a funnel which is empty then I put a lid on. Now they are all hanging from the underside of the lid in the frameless top box/super....
and sure as anything they will be drawing comb down from the lid into the empty super.

Question: Whats the easiest way to get them into the framed inner box(I don't want to leave it to long before they make a mess or should I wait a few days before I go in???

Cheers
Steve
Dubbo
Australia

Offline Anybrew

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Re: Swarms in Autumn
« Reply #21 on: August 26, 2013, 11:29:28 pm »
Well guys it got the better of me and I thought man up Bro! and get in there and sought them there Bee's out so I did.
I prepared another Super and placed four frames in it and sat it to the side. I then simply picked up the original super with the Bee's  on the underside of the lid(the funnel super) and placed it on the ground.
I then placed the partially framed super back onto the brood box which is darn full. I then went back to the box on the ground and carefully lifted the lid up, and darn it was heavy and I mean heavy with Bee's hanging out like circus performers. I took it over and gave it a brisk shake and the girls tumbled smoothly in and I added four more frames and secured the lid.

I stood there for a while with a smile on may face. ahhh I thought that was easy. I then had a casual look on the top of the hive and there she was THE QUEEN walking about on the lid!!!
I got my queen cage out but I missed and she hopped away......but then I caged her and sheepishly placed her back in the hive.

I love playing with my Bee's.
I thought I would share.

Cheers
Steve

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: Swarms in Autumn
« Reply #22 on: August 27, 2013, 12:05:21 am »
Nice job.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
Ben Franklin