Got one swarming as I write this. They appear to be landing in a thick bush 20 ft behind the colony but many 1000s were still in the air when I left them. I hate this bush!!! It a Autumn Olive and they always pick it. Tonight clippers in hand I'll be cutting my way to the center to get a box under them.
What makes you think they will still be there tonight?
You had better get them now if you want them.
Quote from: iddee on June 04, 2009, 01:49:38 PM
What makes you think they will still be there tonight?
You had better get them now if you want them.
I am just guessing that they will stay put for a couple of hours. I'm at work so I dont have much of a choice. I go home for lunch but only get 1/2 hour then back to work. If I loose them I have traps back in the woods about 400yards away that have a good chance of picking them up.
I would go now.... you might lose them.... kinda like the redwings will lose to Pittsburgh tonite :) lol sorry... couldnt resist! :)
actually ya never know with swarms.....being that it is mid faternoon and they jsut went maybe they will stay...unless the scouts locate one of your swarm traps! Goodluck... hope you get the bees!
If you don't mind I am going to jump in on this topic as it is on MY mind as well!
I installed 3 packages on completely drawn out comb, with ample honey stores that were left over from my two hives that had dwindled away (http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,21402.msg163066.html#msg163066) this spring.
Upon inspection 5 weeks out (May 20th) one hive appeared queenless (...had a small swarm already left?) and there was one queen cell; which the mentor I had inspecting for me (bum knee...completely different story...) cut out (He is of the persuasion that queen cells in general should be removed...completely different discussion...)
When I looked in on them last Thursday, just 8 days after last inspection, there were at least 5 queen cells, two of which were so ripe and ready I swear I could see the queens inside.
I (not realizing these were swarm cells) thought they were/had simply superceded their queen and I just needed to wait and see...
Queen (s) hatched and started piping on Saturday. We really enjoyed hearing that and learning more about it. BUT it didn't sink in when I read about piping indicating swarming in my oldtimers bee guide by L.L.Langstroth...I was more worried about her killing her foes, taking a mating flight and returning safely.
OF COURSE Tuesday, (the day I am in town) the little buggers swarmed! (right on sched according to Lanstroth "swarming occurs 3 days after piping is heard"...drrrrrr... :-P) I came home to a nearly empty hive!!!
LUCKILY it was a EZ beginner swarm; just 5 ft up in a baby fir tree, and I had a gifted assistant who was calm and quick thinking. We easily transferred an impressive (for package bees 6 weeks old) swarm into a single deep and moved what was left in the old hive, to a nuc with an extra frame of brood/eggs robbed from one of the queenrite hives.
I still have a burning question about the mating flight. WHEN, in this instance, does it take place?? The day they swarm? OR Now, this week, AFTER they have swarmed????
All in all swarming is pretty exciting. And know, I know little about this craft. In fact, the longer I do it, it seems the less I know, and the more variables I am made aware of. And regarding packages swarming less than 8 weeks after installation, my hunch is, that by installing them on drawn comb, with ample stores, I may have encouraged them to swarm...ideas?
BTW lovelovelove this forum. Read something interesting here everyday! 8-)
jojoroxx
I'll let someone else tackle your questions
This is what I came home to yesterday. They were right where I expected. The second pic is the swarm about to be rehived. This is the hive setup that I always use. It a deep w/10 frames, stapled to a bottom board w/excluder between them. I then staple a empty box on top to creat a kind a funnel and a tele. cover. I always question if I got the queen but this one had bee's that I missed trying to get into the box. I moved the to another yard 1 1/2miles away
(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/4282/mvc001s.th.jpg) (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mvc001s.jpg)
(http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/5457/mvc002s.th.jpg) (http://img410.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mvc002s.jpg)