Guess Who Caught A Swarm Today?! Thats Right Baby!

Natalie · May 31, 2009, 10:55:27 PM

Me! I caught my first swarm today at a neighbor's house.
I had just picked up 4 nucs and as soon as I pulled in the driveway my neighbor came running over to tell me that he had a swarm under his bird feeder stand and asked if I would come and get them.
There is a guy across the street from him that keeps bees, but when he asked him about them the guy said they weren't his and had no idea how to collect a swarm anyway.
I went over there with my husband and son and brought a hive set up and a brush, smoker ( I never needed it but brought it just in case) and a spray bottle of sugar water.
It went so well and only took a minute to hive most of them and the rest followed into the hive within a short time.
It was an incredible experience for my son, he is 6 and just got his first hive recently.
He has absolutely no fear of bees at all.
I brushed them in with one quick movement, got the queen right off the bat and most of the swarm at once then I used my hands to scoop the remaining group into the box.
A few went back over and my husband brushed them off to stir them up and see if they would head in the other direction and into the box and most of them did.
After that we left the box there to let the last few stragglers find their way in and my neighbors came over to tell me that every last bee was now off of the post and in the hive.
No stings at all, they were so mellow I didn't need to spray or smoke them.
My neighbors were standing fairly close and the bees were very well behaved, they were thrilled with the whole experience and they asked alot of questions and learned alot.
This had been quite the day.
On top of my regular life of being a mom and doing the mom things today I drove out of state to pick up some nucs from some bees I really wanted (I will put that story in my other thread) and then upon my return home I caught this swarm.
My neighbor e-mailed me some pictures he took so I will include the link since I have no idea how else to do it.
http://us.mc1114.mail.yahoo.com/mc/welcome?.gx=0&.rand=79agocqhgt61a#_pg=showMessage&pSize=25&sMid=0&fid=Inbox&sort=date&order=down&startMid=0&filterBy=&.rand=1868067956&midIndex=0&mid=1_167184_AN4Pw0MAABbkSiMXzgv%2B4XBa0r4&f=1&m=1_167184_AN4Pw0MAABbkSiMXzgv%2B4XBa0r4,1_157589_AIoPw0MAAOKrSiLwzw4GjwQITpc,1_144595_ALoPw0MAAHwYSiLE2QkGhi56Psc,1_129365_AJYPw0MAALUPSiKeEAlcaHE41JA,1_116394_AIQPw0MAAJISSiJZogH4x16NK0Y,1_115832_ANgPw0MAABzBSiJY%2BA6nbF2FQtM,&hash=0a713a326c9498e5e2e36e5bef1787f9&.jsrand=877086

Rex · May 31, 2009, 11:11:14 PM

Congrats on the swarm catch!

MacfromNS · May 31, 2009, 11:27:17 PM

Congrats on the swarm. I couldn't get the link to work.

JP · May 31, 2009, 11:36:27 PM

Way to go Natalie!

...JP

Natalie · May 31, 2009, 11:41:47 PM

Thanks guys. The link is working for me. Anyone else have trouble with it?

JP · May 31, 2009, 11:47:48 PM

Quote from: Natalie on May 31, 2009, 11:41:47 PM
Thanks guys. The link is working for me. Anyone else have trouble with it?

I couldn't view the pics.

...JP

Kathyp · May 31, 2009, 11:50:03 PM

link won't work unless you want us all to be able to sign on to your yahoo mail :-). copy the pictures to picasa or some other web pic program. then post the links or thumbnails.

Natalie · June 01, 2009, 12:05:23 AM

Thanks for the info Kathy, I'll work on this out tomorrow. I am so tired tonight I am seeing double. ;)

Highlandsfreedom · June 01, 2009, 12:16:03 AM

Dont you just love catching swarms??!!

Cheryl · June 01, 2009, 01:25:47 AM

Awesome, Natalie!! And don't you love it when people are interested and ask questions and learn a lot -- and ask more questions?!? I love telling people about bees.

You lucky lady!!! Sounds like all of you had a great time!

annette · June 01, 2009, 03:00:42 AM

Great news Natalie and glad it was so,so easy for you. You are a natural with the bees and will do well with them.

Take Care
Annette

G3farms · June 01, 2009, 11:21:11 AM

that's great and you sound like you are really pumped up about it. You should have let your son have this one.

G3

1reb · June 01, 2009, 03:17:36 PM

Congratulations Natalie

dpence · June 01, 2009, 04:17:25 PM

Makes it all worth while doesn't it? Congrats.

David

greenismycolor · June 01, 2009, 05:40:48 PM

Congrats Natalie!!!! Hope you get some scrumdillyisous honey from the ladies.
patti

jeremy_c · June 01, 2009, 06:27:48 PM

Congrats! I had my first call today. A lady wanted me to come pickup some honey bees, she found my name on the Internet and I was local. Then she told me that they have been there since last summer, they were behind her siding where the chimney and house meet :-/ That one was beyond my skills.

Still waiting on my first swarm, so it's exciting to see others grab theirs!

Jeremy

Natalie · June 02, 2009, 02:21:26 PM

Thanks everyone. I was so surprised to get this swarm. I had been reading so much about all the swarms JP and everyone gets that I knew what to do if one came up (unless it was a major cutout or something)
but I haven't listed my name or anything like that.
It was just pure dumb luck that my neighbor had that swarm and came and got me.
It could not have gone any easier or better.
I just swept them in and the rest followed within an hour and I came back and got the box.
A great experience for your first swarm.