swarm call i thought i'd share.

Kathyp · April 19, 2010, 08:18:29 PM

a guy called me to get a swarm. he was kind of upset about it and kept talking about this swarm putting the whole neighborhood "at risk". then he told me that it was in a neighbors yard and they were not home. told him i'd be happy to come out, but needed the permission of the homeowner as i was not into trespassing :-) . i told him to leave my number on the neighbors door. he got kind of nasty with me and i suggested he find someone else.

about an hour later he called me back. turns out the neighbor is a backyard beekeeper and it was probably one of his hives that swarmed. he apologize for getting upset with me.

glad to have dodged that one and feel sorry for the neighbor!

i would have been unhappy to have gone out there only to find that no one was home and the swarm was on a beekeepers land. i would not have collected it and it would have been a long and wasted trip.

it was a reminder to me to ask ALL the questions before making the drive.

AllenF · April 19, 2010, 08:22:56 PM

I wonder what he felt when he found out the the neighborhood had be "at risk" the whole time. Time to meet the neighbors.

At least you did not waste your time with a trip.

John Schwartz · April 19, 2010, 08:34:39 PM

Quote from: kathyp on April 19, 2010, 08:18:29 PM
a guy called me to get a swarm. he was kind of upset about it and kept talking about this swarm putting the whole neighborhood "at risk". then he told me that it was in a neighbors yard and they were not home. told him i'd be happy to come out, but needed the permission of the homeowner as i was not into trespassing :-) . i told him to leave my number on the neighbors door. he got kind of nasty with me and i suggested he find someone else.

Strange, Kathy... I've had at least 3 nasty calls this year. I'm just offering a free service and folks get upset for all kinds of reasons. :)

Kathyp · April 19, 2010, 08:43:15 PM

well, it is Portland. they get ticked off when they hug the trees and get scratched on the bark.

John Schwartz · April 19, 2010, 08:46:54 PM

Quote from: kathyp on April 19, 2010, 08:43:15 PM
well, it is Portland. they get ticked off when they hug the trees and get scratched on the bark.

Land of fruits and nuts. ;)

marksmith · April 19, 2010, 08:48:35 PM

LOL!

I own a house in the Eugene/Springfield area. Try pruning your fruit trees drastically! I had complaints and letters written to me about pruning my own trees!!

Glad to see you didn't waste your time. Another question to add to my list if someone actually answers my CL add.

lenape13 · April 20, 2010, 12:36:34 AM

I have taken down my Craigslist ad. Too many nutballs wanting me to set up hives for them, wanting me to supply them with bees, etc. The land is filled with lunatics. Time to build a wall around the property.

Kathyp · April 20, 2010, 12:54:56 AM

that one didn't come from craigslist. i have left mine even though i get a lot of strange calls. i have gotten everything from "would the bees like it if i play my accordion for them?", to "can i buy swarms from you?".

i also have gotten some very good calls and people offering places for hives. even the Deliverance place turned out to be ok. :evil: i think you have to have an instinct for the calls. some have been creepy and i don't take those. i also always carry when i go......

John Schwartz · April 20, 2010, 01:05:12 AM

A fellow "packer"! ;)

Michael Bush · April 20, 2010, 08:24:15 AM

With people frantic and crazy, I'd price it to make it worth the trouble. No point otherwise. Odds are they have sprayed them (which you already heard them say) even if they deny it, and odds are they will spray them before you get there. The bees will likely die anyway.