Today the plant I work out of had a swarm land in the process area. The maintenance guys called a local beek who has been collecting swarms out here for years to come get them. Earlier this year I told the plant manager I wanted to gather all the swarms and he said no problem. Bad thing is he didn't tell the maintenance manager, oh well I was out of town anyway and would have had to rush back. When I did get back to my office the beek was just arriving, we got to talking and he offered to let me catch them but I didn't think that was right since he drove out to get them. But I did tell him I would get the future swarms from the plant :evil: He was a nice guy we got to talk bees for some time. The swarm was a good one too the size of a basketball. I talked to the maintenance manager he said the get 1 or 2 a year in the process area and those they have removed. But, in the outer cells of the facility they see a bunch and usually leave those alone because they don't pose a health risk to anyone. He said they will call me for those as well so I might get quite a few from my plant now :)
Keith
you should ask them if you can put a bait hive or two up.
What business are you in? What draws so many swarms to the plant?
Mark
Quote from: Chef Isaac on April 06, 2009, 09:10:49 PM
you should ask them if you can put a bait hive or two up.
Bingo!
...JP
Quote from: mherndon on April 07, 2009, 09:43:51 AM
What business are you in? What draws so many swarms to the plant?
Mark
I am in the environmental business. Our facility sits along the mississippi river with over 6000 acres of property inside our fenceline. Behind us is swamp and river bottoms. they keep the grass mowed every other month so we have nothing but fields of wildflowers. it is a bee paradise I guess. I had a swarm trap set up along the fenceline and the storm knocked it down a week ago.
Health and safety wise the plant manager is leary about letting me place bait hives
Keith
I think permission for placing bait hives is a social engineering issue more than a beekeeping one.
For beekeepers in general. The language is key here. Asking for swarm trap permission should be much easier granted than a bait hive. Although it is the same thing, bait hives use the 'hive' word and summon the idea of bees in big boxes. A swarm trap on the other hand includes the word 'trap' which people are much more comfortable with as it means something will be captured and disposed of.
Quote from: Keith13 on April 07, 2009, 10:48:57 AM
Quote from: mherndon on April 07, 2009, 09:43:51 AM
What business are you in? What draws so many swarms to the plant?
Mark
I am in the environmental business. Our facility sits along the mississippi river with over 6000 acres of property inside our fenceline. Behind us is swamp and river bottoms. they keep the grass mowed every other month so we have nothing but fields of wildflowers. it is a bee paradise I guess. I had a swarm trap set up along the fenceline and the storm knocked it down a week ago.
Health and safety wise the plant manager is leary about letting me place bait hives
Keith