how would you do this one

SystemShark · May 06, 2009, 08:05:56 PM

First swarm this season (YAY!!!) but I havn't run into this kind of problem yet. At first I was happy to find that the swarm was not 20 feet from my hives (maybe its from one of them)...but its also 20 feet in the air. Me (at 6 foot) on top of an 8 foot ladder, with a bucket on 10 feet of pvc pipe could probably reach them. So that was my plan...but as the rain picked up and light is starting to fade I think i'm going to have to wait till tomorrow and hope the rain doesn't pick up and that they are still there when I can better maneuver. It looks like one of the bigger swarms I've had the luxury of finding.. 5 gallon bucket easy.

But there is a plus to this inclement weather - now I get to bounce some ideas off my friends at beemaster!

The swarm looks bigger than my bucket..its spread on many thin branches (medium sized vines really). The tree is tall but maybe softball sized trunk going up the 20 feet. My plan was to put a sheet down, ladder on up there with my bucket-pole, and maneuver the swarm in there...and using a rope pull the lid over the top..ease the device down and then move them to the hive ...which is all set up close to where they are now.

Other option - I have a chainsaw so I could cut the whole thing down if I had to..or get up as high as safety allows and cut from there.

Any other ideas? Which option would you take? I should have got a better perspective shot taken so you could see how high they were and the surrounding conditions but hopefully I've described the situation well enough.

bailey · May 06, 2009, 10:35:35 PM

the bucket on a pole should be the best option but here is a trick i have used before.

if you can get a thin rope or heavy cord over the limb that they are on then have someone else man the rope.

then get the bucket in position under the hive and have the other person give a sharp yank on the rope.

this will help to dislodge the swarm and leave you 2 hands to handle the bucket.

be aware that the bend of the limb might throw the swarm off center a little! so have the bucket just under the hive and have them pull straight down! dont have them pull from the side as this will throw the swarm a little to the side.

( learned that when i did it by myself and the swarm was over me by about 3 feet. swarm down the back after missing the box :shock:! )

bailey

iddee · May 06, 2009, 11:41:12 PM

What Bailey says....

If it's clear to do so, you can add about 3 foot to your height by pulling your pickup under them and set the step ladder on the bed.
When doing that, I set the hive on the cab.

Kathyp · May 06, 2009, 11:46:06 PM

look what i found!!! :evil:

http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/displayimage.php?album=79&pos=7

do not do this!!!!!

Scadsobees · May 07, 2009, 12:23:02 AM

Or just keep trying with the bucket until hopefully one of the times you get the queen....

SlickMick · May 07, 2009, 02:30:01 AM

Quote from: kathyp on May 06, 2009, 11:46:06 PM
look what i found!!! :evil:

http://www.brendhanhorne.com/coppermine_dir/displayimage.php?album=79&pos=7

do not do this!!!!!

Oh Kathy, that is seriously telling tales :-D

But you have to admit that is a lovely colony and beautiful comb even if the method of getting to the elevation is seriously suspect and potoentially injurious to the body.

Mick

SystemShark · May 07, 2009, 01:22:20 PM

I'll post some pics later but I've been removing this swarm since 9am =p its noon now so I'm taking a break. I used Baily's suggestion of a rope over the limb (though it took a few good attempts to get it to a suitable spot). It was only me this morning but I'll have help later today to finish the job. The first bucket load in the hive.. I noticed they were NOT fanning so I figured I missed the queen. On the 2nd load again, no fanning - BUT, there were allot of bees gathering on my tarp...so I pulled it closer to the hive and began searching.. FOUND HER!

woot, how lucky am I?! On top of that I was using the video feature on my camera the whole time - so I got it all on tape!! (well virtual tape :p).

Got her on the tip of a near by twig and set her in the hive.

After letting them sit for about 20-30mins I went back out to check on what was happening, the majority of bees on the tarp were gone but still a ton of bees left up in the tree. I bucket'd two more loads and put them in the hive... STILL seems like there are tons of bees in the swarm ball.

My new question is... will they eventually realize the queen is NOT up there in the tree and come to the nearby hive on the ground? Or should I keep trying to shake them loose in the bucket?

Kathyp · May 07, 2009, 01:39:19 PM

it's not uncommon for them to keep clumping where the queen was. there is also the possibility of there being another queen. some of the swarm masters may guide you better here, but my experience is that a virgin queen is sometimes along for the ride.

i have had good luck with keeping after the clump. eventually, you get the majority into the box, and the others follow along. you may also wish to leave the box until dark and then see what you have. most of the time the left over bees will have found the box and queen by dark.

iddee · May 07, 2009, 02:04:50 PM

Take a longer break and see which direction they travel. Within an hour you will see the clump get much larger or smaller. Then you will know what you have to do.

Robo · May 07, 2009, 02:12:48 PM

I have a 25' pool hose on a pool vac pole for my bee vac.

But here's another option

G3farms · May 08, 2009, 12:30:14 AM

robo that is a dandy idea to say the least.

I might just have to try it one day.

G3

Rebel Rose Apiary · May 08, 2009, 12:09:48 PM

What is it with everyone wanting to set things on top of the truck cabs??? :shock:I get upset if my truck gets dust on it. My Dodge Ram is cleaner than my house is!

I really did see someone using a chainsaw cutting broken limbs off of a tree using a step ladder on top of a car roof once....so do not bet in it as just being a gag photo! :roll:

Glad you got the queen.

Brenda

SystemShark · May 11, 2009, 06:53:06 PM

Thanks again for everyone's help on this. I posted about the experience in my blog (link in my sig). The video of me finding the queen is in that post too! I made the hive from 3 medium boxes to 1 medium box yesterday and they bees seem to be using the front entrance no problem now...and the queen excluder is on the bottom keeping the queen in there.

They are making this weird biting/scratching sound...like trying to get out the top. Once they get back to regular business and start building some comb up I'll throw another medium on for expansion. Also I think it will help if I can find a frame of brood in the other hives...so tomorrow morning I'll get that done before they wake up and start doing their thing.

Thanks again!

www.ourhoneybees.blogspot.com