Tanging

Francus · July 13, 2011, 11:02:03 AM

My mother sent me an article on Tanging. As near as I can tell from the article, the author believes that some level of swarm control can be obtained by beating a metal object (such as a pail or watering can) in the general area of an airborn swarm. According to the author the banging attracts the swarm and brings them in closer where they can be nabbed and plopped in a nuc.

Sadly, the way the article is cut out I don't know what paper it came from. Either way, this seems to be a crock, but I have not done it and have no way to verify or deny the claim. (For that matter, I have only seen a swarm in flight on YouTube.)

Has anyone heard of this? Is it basically ancient bee lore, or is there some truth to it? Has anyone done this, and if so, what were your observations?

iddee · July 13, 2011, 11:19:47 AM

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,33782.0.html

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,24914.0.html

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,24904.msg193444.html#msg193444

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,27392.msg215249.html#msg215249

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,32303.msg268882.html#msg268882

TwoHoneys · July 14, 2011, 07:33:54 AM

I've just hung a metal spoon and a pan within easy reach of my kitchen door...which is where I'm usually standing when I see my bees swarm.

And I've invited all the people around here to tang that pan until the bees cluster. :)

-Liz

mikecva · July 14, 2011, 08:11:36 AM

I have seen it work but have yet to try it myself. Schawee has a video of it working. -Mike

Francus · July 14, 2011, 10:10:19 AM

I think I may try it when I have the opportunity. But if it works the next question is why? Does it set up vibrations the bees hear? Does it affect their flight guidance and if so, does it work on solitary bees or bees just out foraging? I think there are a lot of questions to explore.

Tommyt · July 14, 2011, 10:58:05 AM

Quote from: Francus on July 14, 2011, 10:10:19 AM
I think I may try it when I have the opportunity. But if it works the next question is why? Does it set up vibrations the bees hear? Does it affect their flight guidance and if so, does it work on solitary bees or bees just out foraging? I think there are a lot of questions to explore.

I think it is said too make the bees think it's Thunder and think a storm is brewing so they
land and hold up so they don't get caught in it.

Tommyt

I've been wrong more than once :?

mushmushi · July 14, 2011, 11:10:59 AM

I wish I could test it out but living in the suburb, the last thing I want is attract even more attention to the swarm ;)

ncsteeler · July 18, 2011, 08:21:10 AM

I was always told in makes it hard for the bees to follow the queen so they come back to the hive. I guess it could help with keeping a hive strong, but if it doesn't make the queen come back no real help on hiving the swarm.

scrapiron · July 18, 2011, 09:45:07 AM

I saw it once as well. This old-timer had a pipe hanging from a shoestring (kinda like a single wind chime) and he would "ring" it with a short piece of rebar. And it worked! He said it mocks thunder, like Tommy was saying.

gardeningfireman · July 18, 2011, 04:22:06 PM

But, bees can't hear......

iddee · July 18, 2011, 04:50:32 PM

You "hear" by converting vibrations in your ears. Bees have receptacles on their antennae that convert vibrations the same way. You can call it hearing or not, but they know there is sound there.

gardeningfireman · July 18, 2011, 07:08:10 PM

I stand corrected! :-D