My First Swarm Catch Of 2011

JP · March 01, 2011, 10:56:09 PM

Yesterday I was called out to a couple of apartment complexes for scouts looking for a new home. I hung a trap at one and told the people at the other to caulk and seal early this morning because it looked like the swarm was about to show up and enter a soffit area.

Today I had to leave a complicated removal to go and collect the swarm that showed up at the soffit about eighteen feet up. It was kind of a pain to deal with for several reasons.

1) Yesterday evening instead of caulking/sealing they sprayed wasp spray on the wood surfaces the scouts were interested in. The swarm decided they wanted this spot any way. The residual from the wasp spray confused the bees, interfering with their ability to orient to the cardboard catch box. Some were dying throughout the evening but most survived, including the queen that seemed to be unaffected and very vibrant.

I have to believe their sniffers were affected from the wasp crap as well as even with the queen caged inside the box a good mess of bees were reluctant to enter the box. Yes I did look for another queen.

Right before dark I brought the box down the ladder with the intention of shaking them into a deep nuc.

2) Right as I was shaking them all these lights come on, ones right outside each unit's door and lit the place up like a football stadium!

Guess where a good many bees wound up???

Long story short, after smoke and beequick and several accidental stings from bees that decided that orienting inside of my shirt was the way to go, I left with a good sized swarm.

Tomorrow begins a new day and likely more adventures, hopefully minus a few stings.

...JP

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Highlandsfreedom · March 01, 2011, 11:14:25 PM

Well good you got the pain in the neck catch out of the way. Its going to be smooth sailing the rest of the year right?

JP · March 01, 2011, 11:21:05 PM

Quote from: Highlandsfreedom on March 01, 2011, 11:14:25 PM
Well good you got the pain in the neck catch out of the way. Its going to be smooth sailing the rest of the year right?

I sure hope so, so for its been a little taxing but you have to expect the unexpected when it comes to bees. I have no choice but to go with the flow, wherever it might take me! :idunno:

...JP

Kathyp · March 01, 2011, 11:25:22 PM

how has your weather been? last year most of my swarms were miserable. never been stung so much doing swarms. our weather was also stormy. lots of thunder storms that i was trying to work in between. wondered if the weather contributed to the nasty bees and the huge number of swarms i did last year. we talked before about the connection between thunder storms and swarms....

TwoHoneys · March 02, 2011, 07:51:40 AM

I hope I hope I hope I hope I hope I collect a few swarms.

-Liz

JP · March 02, 2011, 10:25:44 AM

Weather has been great!

Hope you get a swarm real soon Liz!

...JP

AllenF · March 02, 2011, 09:35:48 PM

Sweet.

Dave360 · March 02, 2011, 10:11:59 PM

love the multi purpose paper box

Probably a lot lighter to carry up a latter good idea

Dave

Apis_M_Rescue · March 03, 2011, 04:11:07 AM

Quote from: kathyp on March 01, 2011, 11:25:22 PM
how has your weather been? last year most of my swarms were miserable. never been stung so much doing swarms. our weather was also stormy. lots of thunder storms that i was trying to work in between. wondered if the weather contributed to the nasty bees and the huge number of swarms i did last year. we talked before about the connection between thunder storms and swarms....

Same here my first basketball swarm attempt (not catch) of 2011, Mar 1st & it was releasing that artificial banana aroma & pissy agitated. Weathers been in upper 50's lower 60's & cloudy this first of March. After getting 10 stings threw on veil & gloves. Didn't have much time so went back on the 2nd & same defensiveness. Wednesday tried again & were much mellow but still w/not much time & despite bees nasonoving many bees 20ft in oaktree w/ queen. Raining lightly tonight & early Thursday. Left to check Friday to see if still there or lured into my empty hives. Try, try, & do again :)

skflyfish · March 10, 2011, 11:31:10 AM

JP,

Based on this video, I was able to get the EXIF addon for Firefox and map the exact location of this swarm removal.

Video

Location of removal.

Location

Don't know if you really want to share all this info. You may want to turn off GeoPositioning on your iPhone at certain times.

HTH,

Jay

p.s. the Exif addon for Google Chrome is even more powerful. Just hover the mouse over the red GPS indicator on the pic and a Google map of the spot replaces the pic.

lenape13 · March 10, 2011, 02:49:01 PM

Sounds like lots of fun was had by all. 8-)

It amazes me how people will call in an expert, and then do exactly opposite of what they were advised, as in wasp spray instead of sealing up the opening. Why even bother calling if you're not going to take the advice???

montauk170 · March 10, 2011, 06:27:49 PM

skflyfish or JP - Does JP have a GPS receiver built onto his vid cam?
If not there wouldn't be a way to detect location, or is there?

Quote from: skflyfish on March 10, 2011, 11:31:10 AM
JP,

Based on this video, I was able to get the EXIF addon for Firefox and map the exact location of this swarm removal.

Video

Location of removal.

Location

Don't know if you really want to share all this info. You may want to turn off GeoPositioning on your iPhone at certain times.

HTH,

Jay

p.s. the Exif addon for Google Chrome is even more powerful. Just hover the mouse over the red GPS indicator on the pic and a Google map of the spot replaces the pic.

montauk170 · March 10, 2011, 06:38:51 PM

Must have been a phone camera, right?

skflyfish · March 10, 2011, 09:26:58 PM

Yes, an iPhone. There is a lot of meta data that the iPhone and Android put into the jpg file. It even tells the compass direction he was facing when he took the pic. I guess there are GPS enabled cameras as well. Probably something an claims adjuster might want. From pics that AllenF has posted, he has a Droid. Scary for personal data. Take a pic of your hidden apiary and post it online and it isn't hidden anymore. :shock:

Get an Exif addon for your browser of choice (IE has one also) and you can see all the data embedded in smart phone pics.

montauk170 · March 11, 2011, 02:37:09 AM

That's crazy. Better be careful of secret swarm trap spots. ;)

JP · March 11, 2011, 07:50:46 AM

Thanks for the heads up Jay. Someone had sent me a link to that video or maybe I saw it on here can't remember, amazing technology!

Kinda got me wandering what else you were able to look at? You can PM me if you wish on that. ;)

...JP