My bees tried to swarm but I caught them

Greg Peck · May 24, 2008, 12:44:17 AM

I walked up to my hives yesterday afternoon just to take a look at them and I heard a lot of extra buzzing. I noticed in front of one of the hives there looked like a bunch of bees fighting. I thought that there was some robbing going on but then I realized that the buzzing was coming from up in a tree. The bees were still swarming around in the air landing on a tree branch about 30 feet off the ground. I went and got a ladder but it was to short, so I borrowed a 30 footer. It barley reached and was at a weird angle so I tied the top of the ladder to the branch with a rope. It was pretty windy so the branch kept moving around and the bees were still just about out of reach. I sprayed them with sugar water then kind of knocked them off the branch with a 5 gallon bucket then sprayed them in the bucket to keep them from flying out. I finally got most of the bees into the bucket. These bees were somewhat aggressive. I guess it may have had to do with me getting to them so soon after they swarmed.

After hiving the swarm I looked through the hive that threw the swarm. I found three caped swarm cells. I left them in place until I finished inspecting the hive. I did not find a queen so I decided to take one of the swarm cells and put it into the new swarm hive in case I did not get the queen. When I pulled the frame that had the one queen cell on it I saw that she had just emerged. I quick check the nearby frames and found her wobbling around looking like she just popped out. I put the other swarm cells in the swarm hive and closed everything up.

The stings I got while capturing the swarm hurt way more then the last 20 or so stings I gotten this year. Normally I have no reaction to the stings and it is more like getting a thorn in my finger. These ones were crazy, immediately the areas swelled up and hurt like crazy. I dont know what the deal with that was.

Click to enlarge!

JP · May 24, 2008, 12:53:48 AM

I'm glad you got the bees but... I would have probably donated those to mother nature. I have a 28' ladder I keep with me and that's as high as I'm getting without a lift.

Be careful man!!!

...JP

mlewis48 · May 24, 2008, 01:04:38 AM

Glad you got them back! I had the samething happen to me yesturday. I was out checking some hives that I have on my brothers farm. Added supers to them and everyone seemed to be fine. I just got home when the stable hand called to tell me that there was a swarm out in the barn lot. They landed in a pear tree and were about 4 ft off the ground. Easiest one that I have got so far. I wish they were all that way. With all of the rain that we have been getting, it made it hard to get into that yard.
Marcus

Greg Peck · May 24, 2008, 01:13:39 AM

The hive they came from was my strongest best producing hive this year. I could not bare to see them head off into a hollow tree some where.

I wish they had been 4' off the ground... I have not had any like that yet.

qa33010 · May 30, 2008, 01:01:02 AM

So far a five, seven and a seven and a half footers. Sorry but I would have donated them also...not that brave. :'(

bassman1977 · May 30, 2008, 09:23:14 AM

Brave man! There is no way I would go that high (I'm afraid of hights). 5 feet is enough for me.

Greg Peck · May 31, 2008, 11:06:56 PM

30 something feet is not to high :) I am used to the heights with my job. From time to time I have to climb radio and cell phone towers. Here are some photos from about 180 feet.

Click to enlarge!

Brian D. Bray · May 31, 2008, 11:41:18 PM

I have Menier's disease (balance problems) plus acrophobia--fear of hieghts--so when I get 2 feet off the ground I fall over. The 2 feet I'm talking about are the 2 I stand on.

johnnybigfish · June 01, 2008, 12:01:23 AM

I saw the pictures of the ladder straight up to that limb and cracked up!! :-D
This looked like a set-up from Laurel and Hardy! I could just imagine this ladder swaying back and forth with someone on top yelling for help!!
your friend,
john

Michael Bush · June 01, 2008, 09:33:46 AM

>My bees tried to swarm but I caught them

They didn't try. They swarmed. And quite successfully. Now they have a nice new home, just like they had hoped when they left...