Yesterday I was called out to a couple of apartment complexes for scouts looking for a new home. I hung a trap at one and told the people at the other to caulk and seal early this morning because it looked like the swarm was about to show up and enter a soffit area.
Today I had to leave a complicated removal to go and collect the swarm that showed up at the soffit about eighteen feet up. It was kind of a pain to deal with for several reasons.
1) Yesterday evening instead of caulking/sealing they sprayed wasp spray on the wood surfaces the scouts were interested in. The swarm decided they wanted this spot any way. The residual from the wasp spray confused the bees, interfering with their ability to orient to the cardboard catch box. Some were dying throughout the evening but most survived, including the queen that seemed to be unaffected and very vibrant.
I have to believe their sniffers were affected from the wasp crap as well as even with the queen caged inside the box a good mess of bees were reluctant to enter the box. Yes I did look for another queen.
Right before dark I brought the box down the ladder with the intention of shaking them into a deep nuc.
2) Right as I was shaking them all these lights come on, ones right outside each unit's door and lit the place up like a football stadium!
Guess where a good many bees wound up???
Long story short, after smoke and beequick and several accidental stings from bees that decided that orienting inside of my shirt was the way to go, I left with a good sized swarm.
Tomorrow begins a new day and likely more adventures, hopefully minus a few stings.
...JP
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