Interesting Swarm evening Aug 6

[Ben Framed]

I came in form work and heard a loud buzzing in the air. Yes a swarm. This swarm was coming form one of my own hives. I was thinking "how can this be, I have been on top of things and the bees have plenty of food, room and resources." Yet here they were, swarming form one of my favorite hives.  Well at least, (I was thinking), I got home in time to see what is going on and I will box them after they settle down.   Well they settled down alright!  Settled down in the near top of a magnolia tree! I was thinking I will never be able to retrieve those bees in that high location.  What did I do?  I put together two swimming pole extensions which are 16 feet each. giving me 32 feet of reach. This was still not enough as their height exceeded that level.  Next I pulled out the 8 foot step ladder. With this set up I could "barely" reach the limb in which they were perched. I made a make-shift hook out of wire clothes hangers, four to be exact, taped together for strength securing said to the top end of the make shift retrieving pole. Even still with this set up, there was the problem of the lower limbs which would restrict the complete falling to the ground by all the bees once shook. Before shaking, I places a king sized white bed sheet under the target area along with a nuc box with an empty frame of brood comb and a q-tip with a drop of lemon grass oil, placed in the back of the box. How did this turn out. Let me tell you,
First shake. It was raining bees all over me! Because of the height involved and no chance for and angle pull, I had to take the medicine of the raining bees. Magnolia leaves are large canopy shaped leaves. These leaves stoped the majority of the bees from ever touching the ground. Of the minority that did make it to the sheet prepared base, many did indeed start heading to the box with their tails in the air fanning. But the queen went straight back to security of her limb. I again repeated this process about three more times. The queen worked her way down limb after limb after shake after shake,  until finally settling on a lower limb. Your-Hiness, had worked her way down to the height that was reachable from the stepladder. I positioned directly under the remaining, still fair sized entourage and shook these into a copy paper box and slammed the top on, shimmied down the ladder, and cut an opening near the bottom and placed this set-up next to the bait box and in they marched in! Like Marys' little lamb.  After dark I added a queen excluder entrance and now, I am happy to tell you,  this new hive is bringing in pollen.
Phillip

[jtcmedic]

Nice catch.

[BeeMaster2]

Congratulations. 
Glad it worked out.
Jim Altmiller

[FatherMichael]

Awesome!

So, they marched into a nuc box?

Out of a copy paper box?

Sounds like a great swarm kit to have on hand.

[Ben Framed]

Awesome!

So, they marched into a nuc box?

Out of a copy paper box?

Sounds like a great swarm kit to have on hand.

Yes, this combination worked very well. Just remember to add a drop of LGO along with at least one frame of old brood comb inside the nuc box. The copy-paper box is much lighter and easier to handle on a ladder than a nuc box.  No need of the extra weight on a ladder when not necessary. As i stated in my earlier post. I added the drop of lemon grass oil on a
q-tip. The bees pulled it out after a couple days.

Also thanks all for the congratulations, I posted this in order to help someone else in the future, in the case that they may have a swarm lite on a very high place loaded with congested limbs. It is not hopeless in retrieving.

Phillip

[van from Arkansas]

Good for you ol Chap.

To me, that bringing in pollen: says acceptance, we are home and not going anywhere, we are happy here.  I am concerned with abscond with new hives, however, brining in pollen alleviates this concern.  It?s like the ALL IS OK signal.  For certain, Mr. Ben, you are aware of this cause you specifically mentioned: brining in pollen.

Is there a flow in your area?  Unusual for bees to swarm this late in the year unless there is enough foraging for the bees to believe they can swarm and replenish.  I imagine you have enough experience that you can ascertain if the swarm was reproduction or leaving troubled waters.  Your favorite hive informs me the hive is prolific.

Looks like we will soon find out if there if there is enough drones in your area to obtain a mated queen in the original hive.  You are experiencing the fun part of beekeeping.  My last virgin queen hatched and in 4 four, days was mated and laying.... happened only two weeks ago.

Keep us informed Phil on the original hive.  I want to know if you obtain a laying queen!!  Good story.
Blessings
Van

[Ben Framed]

?Looks like we will soon find out if there if there is enough drones in your area to obtain a mated queen in the original hive.  You are experiencing the fun part of beekeeping.  My last virgin queen hatched and in 4 four, days was mated and laying.... happened only two weeks ago.?

You are right Mr Van. This is fun!! I am going to send two pictures. The triple 10 framers is the home hive from where THELMA lived!! Yes THELMA!! I can?t believe there would be problems in her home!!  This is real time as I was cutting grass when I read your text here. I stopped and took the pictures. Notice in the original, there are still enough bees to have many still hanging out on the outside the hive.

The second, double nuc, is the swarms new home. This was a nice size swarm. Notice the excluder at the entrance. I am loaded with drones. In my home apiary.  Hopefully I will have the same good experience that you recently had. I hope so. If not I will give David, at BarnyardBees,  (being it?s so late in the season), a call as he has top of the line queens.  [attachment=0][/attachment][attachment=1][/attachment]

[van from Arkansas]

Oh my, give my regards to queen Thelma.  Looks like she has plenty of bees in the triple deep, after swarm.  Thelma; That is almost as good a name as BenFramed.  I am assuming Thelma is in the double nuc.  Keep us in informed.
Van

[Ben Framed]

Oh my, give my regards to queen Thelma.  Looks like she has plenty of bees in the triple deep, after swarm.  Thelma; That is almost as good a name as BenFramed.  I am assuming Thelma is in the double nuc.  Keep us in informed.
Van

Yea Sir , I will keep you informed Mr Van. According to all I have read and studied, plus the good information that I have received here. She should be in the double nuc. Unless other factors are involved in Which I am not aware. She is Marked so we will see upon inspection. I appreciate your encouragement Mr Van . Thelma, I received this hint of a name from from watching Michael Palmer.  I have never met him but I would like too, along with each of you .
Phillip

[van from Arkansas]

Phil, give us an update on Thelma: mated?  Laying?
Blessings

[Ben Framed]

Phil, give us an update on Thelma: mated?  Laying?
Blessings

I will Mr Van, I am planning on going through the mother hive this afternoon, later.  I will also go through the double five nuclear box to see what is what. I did peek in earlier, with my wife, and she had her first up close birds eye view of the top pf the double nuc five frame swarm box.  I was surprised she conjured up the courage to peek. Haa Haa ... She is usually far removed!! 


Phillip

[van from Arkansas]

Phil, how is Thelma?  Did she survive a mating flight, is she laying?  I am cheering for ya,,,, let me know.

My queen turned out to be a beautiful Cordovan, laying lightly as there is dearth.  Oh my, is this a gentle hive!!!  No smoke needed.  I have been providing frames of honey and pollen taken from strong hives.  I think I will call my queen Thelma Lou to distinguish from your Thelma: our two recent queens.

[Ben Framed]

Phil, how is Thelma?  Did she survive a mating flight, is she laying?  I am cheering for ya,,,, let me know.

My queen turned out to be a beautiful Cordovan, laying lightly as there is dearth.  Oh my, is this a gentle hive!!!  No smoke needed.  I have been providing frames of honey and pollen taken from strong hives.  I think I will call my queen Thelma Lou to distinguish from your Thelma: our two recent queens.

Thelma was marked green. I went through her home that she swarmed from and I regret to tell you that I did not see a queen. There was empty queen cells but no eggs, or larva or any other sign of a queen. Maybe I went in to soon after the swarm and the new queen hasn?t had time to mate or start laying. Thelma either left with the swarm or waited until a new virgin killed her. The double nuc where I ( hope) Thelma is looks good from the top peeking in. There is fresh new comb along with bees coming and going bringing in much pollen. I held off digging in being the mother hive shows no  sign of a queen. I may go in the new double today. Given this information, what advise do you have for me Mr Van? And thank you for your interest my friend. Much appreciated.
Phillip

[van from Arkansas]

Mother hive, triple deep, should have a virgin queen that hopefully returned from a mating flight.  However as of last inspection, about 8/26/19 a queen nor eggs, nor larva found in original main hive.

The nuc contains Thelma, marked queen which had not been seen since original creation of the nuc.

Phil: The above is current status to date, correct?

1.  THE SWARM: I would verify Thelma is in the nuc, laying and has stores.  If crowed nuc prevents eyes on Thelma, then verifying eggs is fine me with me.

2.  ORIGINAL HIVE:  The main original hive is a whopper, 3 deeps thus finding a queen can be difficult.  I would again check for eggs, give the hive more time.  End of August, if there is no sign of a queen, then you can obtain a queen from David at Barnyard as per your idea stated earlier.

So, as time permits check the 2 hives and let us know.  Good BeeKeeping to ya Phil.
Blessings

Van

[Ben Framed]

Mother hive, triple deep, should have a virgin queen that hopefully returned from a mating flight.  However as of last inspection, about 8/26/19 a queen nor eggs, nor larva found in original main hive.

The nuc contains Thelma, marked queen which had not been seen since original creation of the nuc.

Phil: The above is current status to date, correct?

1.  THE SWARM: I would verify Thelma is in the nuc, laying and has stores.  If crowed nuc prevents eyes on Thelma, then verifying eggs is fine me with me.

2.  ORIGINAL HIVE:  The main original hive is a whopper, 3 deeps thus finding a queen can be difficult.  I would again check for eggs, give the hive more time.  End of August, if there is no sign of a queen, then you can obtain a queen from David at Barnyard as per your idea stated earlier.

So, as time permits check the 2 hives and let us know.  Good BeeKeeping to ya Phil.
Blessings

Van

Thank you for the good advice, which I will gladly take.   
Phillip

[Ben Framed]

Phil, how is Thelma?  Did she survive a mating flight, is she laying?  I am cheering for ya,,,, let me know.

Mr Van, I checked the Mother hive and the swarm double nuc this evening. No queen, larva or eggs to be found in either. I suppose Thelma is Gone With The Wind. Oh well.

Phillip 

[van from Arkansas]

Obtain queens from David?  Or newspaper combine?  Which do you consider the best option, Phil.

Blessings
Van

[Ben Framed]

Obtain queens from David?  Or newspaper combine?  Which do you consider the best option, Phil.

Blessings
Van

I will go with the queens Mr Van.

[van from Arkansas]

👍 agree Mr. Phil.

Van

[Ben Framed]

👍 agree Mr. Phil.

Van

Thanks Mr Van
Blessings