Had 3 swarms "Move in" to my unnocupied boxes!? Common?

waters · May 17, 2008, 05:32:59 PM

I've been a backyard beekeeper for about 6 years now. It's been a lot of fun and folks love the information and the honey we dispense with readily each year.

A while back I got on a local swarm list and we keep our few hives going by catching new swarms each spring and 'seeing how they do.' I usually catch 2 - 6 swarms and end up with a couple good colonies that power thru our mild winters and go good in the Spring.

So this year, the neighbors across the street--whom I believe to have a wild colony nearby due to swarms 2nd year in a row now--had a large swarm again hanging above the carport.

They were too high to get to so I put a bait hive with some drawn comb and a little honey underneath them, about 8', and went back home.

Not 20 minutes later I heard a roar in our back yard and went out to find a giant cloud of bees swirling in our own yard!!

I've seen swarms out of our hives more than once and I thought 'crap' we're getting a swarm too... but they didn't go anywhere.

Closer inspection revealed they were MOVING IN to an empty box with bottom/top/drawn comb that I had waiting for a swarm I'd catch!

I looked over across the street, and sure enough, the big cluster was gone from where I'd put the box under them.

I couldn't believe it!

NOW for the crazy part. The neighbors across the street had another little swarm--an afterswarm of the first one I'm sure--show up a day later, and again far too high in a tree, I just left them.

Yesterday, I noticed more than a few bees near a stack of hive bodies near the other hives. I looked in and OH MY GOD! It was filled with the largest swarm I've ever seen! Where did THEY come from!? I had to take everything apart and move them into a new box with drawn comb and they would't even come close to fitting so they ended up two hive bodies deep--for a swarm!

Even crazier, one other vacant box was occupied by what appears to be the smaller afterswarm from across the street! I put them in my observation hive.

Nuts! Now we've got three new swarm colonies and I haven't even 'caught' a swarm yet this year.

Has anyone else ever had this happen? Had a swarm or swarms! just move right in!?

I've spent the last 6 years just trying to keep our bees around, and get new colonies, but this is nuts!

Kathyp · May 17, 2008, 05:43:19 PM

it seems to be a swarm year in some places. where are you?...you can add your location in your profile for future reference :-)

last year i did one cutout. this year i have done 2 and picked up 2 swarms. if i had more time and equipment and energy, i could probably keep at it for another couple of weeks.

many have written about leaving out old equipment and finding swarms had moved in. i think it's a good thing :-)

waters · May 17, 2008, 05:46:44 PM

I'm in Eugene OR--sorry yes--that was actually my first post.. I know from another form it can be annoying when people don't fill in their profiles...

Last year I caught about 4 swarms. Gave a couple away. 2 at lumberyards. Why do they like the wood? I'm a carpenter and when I'm working outside often they'll land right on the saw.. hello!

Michael Bush · May 17, 2008, 07:31:53 PM

It's not extremely common nor extremely rare for them to move into existing equipment. I've had it happen several times, but not several times in one week.

Brian D. Bray · May 17, 2008, 11:30:54 PM

I've made it a practice for over 40 years to keep a bait hive available in the beeyard, providing I have an extra box and top. Some years it remains empty other years I fill 2 or 3 bait hives. Plus the bait hive means I always have an fully assembled hive in case of a swarm call. This year I have 2 and have noticed scout bees in both but no swarms yet.

Sir Stungalot · May 18, 2008, 09:41:06 AM

Funny how that happens! A couple years back, I had a dead-out and rather than being dilligent and cleaning/putting away the eqpt., I tossed it in a pile thinking I would get back to it. Of course, I did not get back to it, passed it by a zillion times, always saying to myself "next time". Well, next time finally came and I ambled out to the pile of boxes figuring I would find a high production moth factory. Instead, a booming swarm had moved in!
This swarm has become the mother of many of my hives. I never treat this one and the daughter hives seem to take care of themselves too.
Anyway, it was a great spring bonus for me and still continues.
Wish swarm capture was always that easy!

papabear · May 18, 2008, 10:34:26 AM

Thats how I got started. My first hive died so I put the boxes in a barn. Three weeks later a swarm moved in. Now I have three hives from them.

gunny · May 18, 2008, 12:10:07 PM

I think you are one lucky bee keeper.

Must be living right, treating your bees real good and the word got around, or something.

jesuslives31548 · May 18, 2008, 06:18:26 PM

In 1989 when I was working 300 Hives, I would keep a spare empty box with drawn comb in the yard to attract Swarms. Its not common to see scout bees looking it over several times a year. I would keep a hive thats empty around if you could. IT'S A COMMON UNCOMMON THING. Have you ever seen a swarm attack another hive? I had the experince of watching it one day while working a small yard. I heard a noise like a large swarm, tunred around and see thousands of Bees in full arial fights, not to mention the thousands of fights going on outside the box. An hour later there where so many dead bees. Im not sure who won, the swarm or the origional hive. Never experinced it again. I guess it proves you never know about Bees !!!

JP · May 19, 2008, 01:38:04 AM

Now Jesus, that's not something you see every day!

...JP

waters · May 20, 2008, 12:17:17 PM

I could not believe the first one--which I witnessed. I've watched other unreachable swarms hang out in one spot for over a week... This group was there, then 20 minutes later followed me home!

And then to find two more had moved in days later... one of which is the largest swarm I've ever 'caught.'

Nuts!

I did find the swarmed out colony though... I went across the street and poked around the general area and found them in this crappy duplex that's for sale. Don't know how long they've been there!?

Scadsobees · May 20, 2008, 01:32:00 PM

Quote from: JP on May 19, 2008, 01:38:04 AM
Now Jesus, that's not something you see every day!

...JP

Well, I haven't actually SEEN Him, but I do get to talk to Him everyday! :-D

lovelyembalmer · May 20, 2008, 04:17:20 PM

Swarms moving into empty hives. That is how our friend we got our bees from got started again after not having bees for many years. A swarm found an old box he had left out and moved in.

derrick1p1 · May 20, 2008, 05:49:36 PM

I intend to set traps out next year to see if I can catch swarms. Congrats on the swarms though! That's amazing.

SmokeEater2 · May 25, 2008, 09:48:50 PM

Would someone be so kind as to explain the swarm traps and baited hives please? :?

Michael Bush · May 25, 2008, 11:07:11 PM

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesferal.htm#baithives

SmokeEater2 · May 26, 2008, 12:18:22 AM

Wow, thank you Michael You have a fantastic site there! :)

Brian D. Bray · May 29, 2008, 01:34:34 AM

Quote from: SmokeEater2 on May 25, 2008, 09:48:50 PM
Would someone be so kind as to explain the swarm traps and baited hives please? :?

Bait hives and swarm traps can be most anything that is sufficient size to hold a swarm of bees and give them building room. I would consider a 5 gallon sized container a minimum. Bait hives usually have 1 or more frames of drawn comb, some empty frames and lemon grass oil as a lure. Swarm lures can be a box, flower pot or what ever placed 8-12 feet up with lemon grass oil as a lure. Lemon grass oil has a scent similar to that of the queen.