Tanging a swarm and a quick DIY bee vac.

Spear · May 07, 2014, 04:04:25 PM

Today I was lucky enough to be watching when 1 of my hives decided to swarm. I watched as they gathered in the air and started to move away then I grabbed my sons plastic bucket and spade and started banging away like crazy. The swarm quickly settled down on the fence in the creeper, I kept banging for a bit to make sure they were down then got a hive ready with frames and large plastic box, by that time the girls had settled down very well - no flying bees to be seen. I 1st tried to scoop them into a bucket and dump them in the box but that was not working very well, I also could not shake them out. My mother and youngest son were helping. I then decided to make a bee vac out of a very big honey bucket - it took me about 30 min and a few too many holes in the bucket and a load of duct tape - while I was making the vac it rained so I was sure the girls were not going anywhere. Then we just vacuumed them up and dumped them in the hive, waited till they were all in - didn't take long as there was more rain on the way and the girls were happy to be out of it - them carted them off to my garden. I'm going to keep them locked up until tomorrow night then open the hive once it is dark that way they will be able to go out the next morning or should I open them up tonight rather?

sc-bee · May 07, 2014, 04:13:59 PM

Cool story... :-D Anchor them with a frame of brood from another hive is best move. Second put a queen excluder on the bottom as an includer for a couple days.

Spear · May 07, 2014, 04:21:28 PM

I gave them 1 frame of honey and the rest new foundation frames. I figure that they are a swarm and will be building a new nest anyway so they wont mind starting on 'empty' frames. The frame of honey is just to give them something to eat for the time that they are 'locked up'. They were very happy to get into the hive and out of the rain, it is supposed to rain the whole of the rest of this week with very little sun shine... I'm thinking I should feed them with an internal bucket feeder for a few days too. 1:1 syrup should do right?

sc-bee · May 07, 2014, 09:32:42 PM

They should have feed up before they flew the coop. I am not saying don't feed but some folks will not feed a swarm if there is a flow. With that said nothing anchors a swarm like a frame of brood to care for... Take Care - Good Luck. Nice pics by the way :-D

bud1 · May 09, 2014, 09:37:10 AM

get yo self a pair o hand pruners few nips aand good shaking

capt44 · May 09, 2014, 09:47:58 AM

I caught a swarm in about the same situation the other day.
It was a viney tree that I couldn't use a bucket.
It was in what I call an uppity neighborhood so clipping the branches was out of the question.
I have an Owens Bee Vac and vacuumed them up.
I had to use 2 cages and wound up with around 6 pounds of honey bees.

OldMech · May 09, 2014, 09:56:34 AM

Nicely done Spear!
Good advice here. I would use a frame of brood as mentioned, and I also feed. (1/1) Yes, they should have engorged before swarming, and this time of year there should be a major flow on in most parts of the country. I still feed, just to make sure they have what they need to build all that wax as fast as possible.
Keep up the good work!

Spear · May 09, 2014, 12:05:35 PM

It looks like they have decided to stay. Been raining here on and off all week so they are just happy to be out of the weather. I have them on my garden now, out of sight of the neighbors that forced me to move my other hives. But will be moving them to my out yard in about 2 weeks when I'm happy with their progress.

I could not snip the vines as there is a fence right in the middle of the swarm. My makeshift bee vac worked a charm and I will use it again if I need to :D

SmokeEater2 · May 09, 2014, 04:14:42 PM

Good story Spear! I'd like to see pics of the homemade bee vac. :)

Spear · May 09, 2014, 06:34:29 PM

I had to disassemble the bee vac as my mother wanted her vacuum cleaner back but I'll put it back together again on sunday to take a few pics.

Spear · May 11, 2014, 04:12:23 PM

Was way too busy with helping my mom midwife some puppies today to take pics of anything!
The Pups were only expected on Tuesday or Wednesday but they decided to come today and 2 of them almost didn't make it but I managed to save them. When I left 5 of the expected 8 were born already...

GSF · May 11, 2014, 08:49:53 PM

Did you have to turn any? In other words they were coming out wrong and had to be turned so they can come on out.

Spear · May 12, 2014, 01:14:42 AM

1 of the pups came out backwards and I just freed it's face quickly so that it could breath. Before I went to sleep my mother reported that the last 2 pups had been born. 1 was sadly still born and the last is strong and healthy and the 2 I saved were doing well and getting stronger! :lol: