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Author Topic: Question on old swarm location  (Read 1904 times)

Offline obxbee

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Question on old swarm location
« on: March 18, 2013, 12:30:07 am »
I just got started being a "Bee Haver" last fall and I found one of my two hives had swarmed and I believe had landed in a neighbors tree and began building comb and raising brood. I had a friend with a bee vac attempt to vacume the bees for me and I took the comb with the brood and put it in a new frames with rubber bands and put them in a new super with the bees. I ended up with most of the bees leaving that didnt die from the vacuming experience and wax moths took over.
The bees that left the new hive returned to the tree and built five more combs at the same location on the limb before it got too cold and they abandoned that location.
Yesterday it warmed up and after I did an inspection on my hives and cleaned out the empty hive I saw several bees flying around the comb still on the limb in my neighbord tree that I left there.
Question, is this the same feral bees returning and should I set a super with old comb and a frame of honey on a ladder near the limb with comb? Or was it some of my remaining bees from my other hive scouting the wax out while gathering pollen? :?
The tree the bees were in is about 25 - 30 yards away from my hives. I understood that swarms from my hives would have moved further away

Offline bailey

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Re: Question on old swarm location
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2013, 12:37:11 am »
It is probably scouts from your hives. Possibly a ferrel hive.
 Hang a swarm trap there.  It will be a prime trap site.
And no it's not the same bees.  They wouldn't go away for the winter and then return.
I would hang the trap right where those combs are but first would cut the combs down.  If you have brown brood comb anywhere then put some in the trap with lgo.
Almost a sure shot to get them.
Bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline obxbee

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Re: Question on old swarm location
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2013, 03:26:19 am »
Thank you for your answer

 

anything