Swarm Removal From Aiken SC

Scott Derrick · March 25, 2008, 07:10:02 PM

Hey Folks,

I ain't JP by any means but here is a swarm I caught today. Yeah!!!....Hey JP!....Game on dude!..... :-D

http://picasaweb.google.com/rsderrick/March25th2008

Kathyp · March 25, 2008, 07:46:47 PM

that looks great :-). i'd like one of those please!

asprince · March 25, 2008, 09:01:32 PM

Great pictures!

Steve

annette · March 25, 2008, 11:34:26 PM

I enjoyed those photos very much. See I learned something today from those photos. I did not know they fan like that to let the others know to come in.

Thanks for sharing
Annette

Scott Derrick · March 26, 2008, 12:11:37 AM

Annette,

They stand in front of the hive with their heads towards the area where the queen is. They fan their wings and push her pheromone out of the hive to signal the other bees. It is quite amazing.

JP · March 26, 2008, 12:47:45 AM

Nice job Scott!! I like the pics a lot.

...JP

JP · March 26, 2008, 12:52:21 AM

Quote from: annette on March 25, 2008, 11:34:26 PM
I enjoyed those photos very much. See I learned something today from those photos. I did not know they fan like that to let the others know to come in.

Thanks for sharing
Annette

Annette, they raise their butts, and emit the nosanov that smells like lemongrass. Yesterday, that young couple and I could smell the nosanov, it was strong, the bees were fanning away.

...JP

annette · March 26, 2008, 01:12:38 PM

Unbelievable!!!!!

Understudy · March 26, 2008, 02:37:32 PM

So tell us how you got them in the box?

Details please :)

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Scott Derrick · March 27, 2008, 12:58:02 AM

Basically all I did was set the box on the ground about 4 feet in front of the tree...then I whistled "The Flight Of The Bumble Bee" right at the hive entrance. When I do that the queen is first to fly in and then the rest follow...... :-D

I placed the hive in front of the swarm about four feet. I took the top of the Nuc off. The tree was rotten so I took the limb and bent it over the top of the box "Carefully". Once over the box I gave it a good shake and they all fell into the Nuc. I placed the lid on top and waited to see if the girls came to the "front porch" to start fanning. Once they do this I know I have the queen. I then took the rest of the tree down and threw it over a fence about 50 yards away to keep the queens pheromone from drawing them back to the limb.

It's really simple. Learning how to whistle the flight of the bumble bee was the hardest part.... :-D

JP · March 27, 2008, 09:05:35 AM

My Scott, you can throw a branch 50 yards? Might have to start calling you "Montana!"

Dallas doesn't even have to bend the branch over from what I hear, and I think the bees start singing when they see him get outta his truck. I've been told by several witnesses that when Dallas puts the box or nuc down, the swarms just fly down and enter upon command. Wish I knew his tricks!

Good catch Scott!!!

...JP