Monday morning I caught a huge swarm the size of 2 basket balls. They filled 2 deeps. About 2 weeks ago I caught another swarm that left by the end of the day so this time before I shook them I shot alittle lemon grass oil in, shook them and moved it about a mile away. I also put a gallon of syrup w/ alittle honey-Bee- healthy in it and they seem happy. I know I have had 2 swarms in my hives this year but have caught four in my back fields. This big one and the one a couple of weeks ago didn't come from my bees. They were very close to my hives within 50 feet. I have no other beeks within a couple of miles. My question is are my bees attracting these?
when hiving swarms, i place the hive body over a queen excluder for two days. It keeps the queen inside, and the bees stay. I remove excluder after a few days just in case she is unmated. It really increased my success rate a lot.
Since she may already be out flying, I would wait until very early morning before they are lots of bees flying and add excluder.
Quote from: danno on July 17, 2008, 12:17:21 PM
Monday morning I caught a huge swarm the size of 2 basket balls. They filled 2 deeps. About 2 weeks ago I caught another swarm that left by the end of the day so this time before I shook them I shot alittle lemon grass oil in, shook them and moved it about a mile away. I also put a gallon of syrup w/ alittle honey-Bee- healthy in it and they seem happy. I know I have had 2 swarms in my hives this year but have caught four in my back fields. This big one and the one a couple of weeks ago didn't come from my bees. They were very close to my hives within 50 feet. I have no other beeks within a couple of miles. My question is are my bees attracting these?
I think your question has merit. My friend Bailey has had swarms move into his yard before he started keeping bees but much more so since.
I have had a swarm move into my yard, I watched it fly in from the west and settle into a deep and a medium that was a dead out.
Today I removed two swarms in the same area where two hives are kept. I checked both of those hives Wednesday of this past week and one of the other ones again on Friday, two days ago.
Today I went through both hives top to bottom and found no swarm cells and original queens in both hives.
I would like to hear others chime in here on this issue.
...JP
Just as sure as an old, abandoned hive in a building will attract another swarm, an apiary and it's smells will bring in a swarm the same way.
So this has been your experience as well Iddee, any stories to tell?
...JP
last year I posted a deal about the other beek here that does not have to leave his yard to catch swarms. He ended up cathing 5, I believe, hanging from his fence and they were not his.
NO LESS THAN 10 WILD SWARMS SHOWED UP AT MY BEE AREA LAST YEAR.
THEY LIKE AND COME TO BEE SMELL.
BAILEY
I'll add: I had a swarm show up last year, it was not mine. I had only had mine hives about 2 months. Very small though, but made comb like crazy. I put up a swarm nuc this year.
I ended up catching 4 swarms in my back field last year and only one was mine. Funny thing is the only one that decided not to stay was the one from my bee's. Maybe I missed the queen. This year I am putting a excluder on the enterance for at least a couple of days.
Last year I caught 3 swarms w/in 1/4 mile from my 1st year hives. I guess this year ight help in the survey. Nearest know beek is 6 miles away
Lucky ducks, no swarms here yet...hmpf
Danno, I was going to be incredulous that you caught a swarm already since I know it is still winter up there by you. Then I noted the date of your original post :). Now it makes sense.
It would not surprise me a bit that bees seem to attract more bees.
twb
Yes that was last year. Snow is finally going away but I will still keep my plows on my trucks until the end of march
I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason. I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well. A Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on March 10, 2009, 05:41:33 PM
I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason. I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well. a Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.
Brian,
What does the bait hive consist of? New foundation/foundationless? Drawn out comb? Do you add attractants? Nuc, 8 or 10 frame?
Tracy
Quote from: tlynn on March 11, 2009, 01:20:56 AM
Quote from: Brian D. Bray on March 10, 2009, 05:41:33 PM
I always set up a bait hive in my bee yard besides swarm traps around and about for that reason. I've had large swarms move in a take over a struggling hive (no they weren't AHB) as well. a Dead out is prime realestate where there's bees.
Brian,
What does the bait hive consist of? New foundation/foundationless? Drawn out comb? Do you add attractants? Nuc, 8 or 10 frame?
Tracy
A single deep or a double medium with frames, some drawn, some foundationless. I try too have at least 2 drawn combs in each biat hive I use, even if I'm using it to catch a swarm. The older and more used the boxes the better. Put your new stuff on your old hives and use the old stuff to catch new bees.
I leave my deer hunting tree stands up in my woods year round. They do double duty. Deer in fall. Bee's in spring