It's swarm season in Tennessee

jmblakeney · March 21, 2012, 06:40:05 PM

Hey guys,
I'm as giddy as a school girl right now. I got my first swarm call of the season a lil while ago. I am sitting in front of the hive that I just shook them into, waiting on them to settle down. I have made a video and will be editing and uploading tonight or tomorrow. This is amazing.

wadehump · March 21, 2012, 06:56:06 PM

I remember last year you was wanting a swarm so bad and wasnt getting any calls

jmblakeney · March 21, 2012, 08:23:22 PM

Quote from: wadehump on March 21, 2012, 06:56:06 PM
I remember last year you was wanting a swarm so bad and wasnt getting any calls

I sure was. I didnt think I'd ever get a call. Then it just happened outta the blue.

James

JP · March 21, 2012, 08:31:05 PM

Where's your initiation video?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

...JP

schawee · March 21, 2012, 08:31:39 PM

nice catch james.can't wait for the video.oh by the way you know you have to do an initiation video :-D ........schawee

schawee · March 21, 2012, 08:32:33 PM

dang jp ,you beat me to it.

AllenF · March 21, 2012, 08:51:33 PM

When I got home, bees were flying all over all 3 of my swarms traps I have out on the back porch. No luck today, but there is a swarm out somewhere here.

jmblakeney · March 21, 2012, 11:26:11 PM

Quote from: JP on March 21, 2012, 08:31:05 PM
Where's your initiation video?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Quote from: schawee on March 21, 2012, 08:31:39 PM
oh by the way you know you have to do an initiation video :-D

I'll see if I can't come up with something to make you guys laugh at me :-D while embarassing the snot out of me. :-P

Quote from: AllenF on March 21, 2012, 08:51:33 PM
When I got home, bees were flying all over all 3 of my swarms traps I have out on the back porch. No luck today, but there is a swarm out somewhere here.

Allen,
Hopefully you'll find them.

JP · March 21, 2012, 11:33:26 PM

Yes! If its not at least a little embarrassing its not really an initiation video. :-D Have fun with it!

...JP

jmblakeney · March 22, 2012, 11:14:57 AM

They completely filled up a medium super. I had to add another to it. I released the queen from the queen catcher at first light this morning and put a queen includer above the bottom board. Hope all continues to go well. For those insisting on an initiation video :-D. I will post an embarassing initiation video before I put the swarm video up.

JP · March 22, 2012, 01:00:37 PM

Great pictures & good looking swarm! How did you load those pics on the site?

Looking forward to your initiation video! :-D

...JP

jmblakeney · March 22, 2012, 01:20:03 PM

Thanks JP, I loaded through photobucket. Just copied the forum code.

sterling · March 22, 2012, 06:49:01 PM

WTG Is it a feral swarm or from an apiary?

jmblakeney · March 22, 2012, 07:46:33 PM

Well, Here's what I know and have been told. There are no known apiaries in the general area. The queen was not marked. I did look around for a very short period of time looking for the mother hive. I did not see it anywhere. Other that those things, I do not know how to tell if it was feral or not. :)

buzzbee · March 23, 2012, 07:23:29 PM

Quote from: schawee on March 21, 2012, 08:32:33 PM
dang jp ,you beat me to it.

That was so 54 seconds ago!! :-D :-D

Tricky · March 24, 2012, 12:05:59 AM

I got my first swarm call today, I got the swarm caught and at the my bee yard. What is the best way to insure they stay? Any suggestions are appreciated!! Thank you!!

tefer2 · March 24, 2012, 09:36:48 AM

add a frame of open brood to them.

jmblakeney · March 24, 2012, 10:12:35 AM

If you dont have a frame of brood to give them and the queen is mated, you could put a queen excluder/includer on top of the bottom board. Make sure there are no top entrances. Do this for a few days untill u have brood. Hope that helps.

Tricky · March 24, 2012, 10:44:29 AM

Thank you for the tips!!

jmblakeney · March 24, 2012, 05:56:30 PM

Well guys it looks as if i am not going to have a video of the swarm. The lady that took the video has not emailed the video clips to me. She is not responding to the email I sent her and the phone call I amde to her. I know that sounded like i was harrassing her for the footage but that was two attempts in four days and she said she would send it to me that night.

Oh well leasoned learned. If you want to learn from my mistakes: always have fresh/eaxtra batts for your camera, if you can only get video on your phone camera its better than nothing, and never rely on someone else to take footage and expect them to sent it to you.

Darn it........sorry everyone.

James