(http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/8830/1000650.th.jpg) (http://img199.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1000650.jpg)
Any ideas on how to catch it?
Caught first swarm and it turned into a thriving colony then....(http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/3061/1000725b.th.jpg) (http://img195.imageshack.us/i/1000725b.jpg/)
Caught this one too.
those are nice looking swarms! i like them better when they are hanging off the end of the branch :-). i am getting lazy in my old age.
those look like keepers. how many lbs do you think they were?
I sprayed the second swarm witha little sugar syrup before I shook the branch. When the bees hit the box it almost ripped it out of my hand. 3-4 lbs??
Nice swarms, did you get both of them put up?
G3
Second one has only been a hive 3 hours. First one is storing honey.
Swarm #3. This swarm landed on exactly the same branch as previous one 8 days ago.(http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8098/1000735s.th.jpg) (http://img37.imageshack.us/i/1000735s.jpg/)
i have picked up a couple that have done that. one lady has a swarm land in the same tree almost every year. i don't know if it's scent, genetic memory, or what. now i always tell people to keep my number. you never know.....
also took a swarm and had the guy call me back a few days later to tell me i missed the queen and a small clump of bees were back. i knew i had her and the bees. i figure this was an afterswarm maybe led by the same scout bees? they are interesting critters.
That swarm looks really big! Congrats!
Great Job.... do you always get some this late in the year?
I would think this is late for a swarm. Only my third year so I don't really know if this is abnormally late. One swarm last year that I know and at least 3 this year and 2 in the last 8 days
Nice swarms. I alway spray with sugar water when hiving a swarm. We typically have maximum swarming in April and May and then some late season swarms in September. I always wondered about these late swarms since they are almost certainly doomed to starvation in the wild. i feed them and they have always survived just fine and gone on to be good producers the next year.
All great looking swarms. I'm in southern Wisconsin and had my best swarm season in the last few. Caught several really nice ones and about 4 average sized ones. Just seems like the populations are back up. Not sure if mine were feral or domestic. They are always fun to catch and each one is a bit different. I generally always give them a gentle spray of sugar water before boxing them.