I caught a swarm!! I caught a swarm!!

dpence · April 23, 2009, 02:58:33 PM

Congrats Annette. Hope they do fine.

David

Davepeg · April 23, 2009, 03:17:11 PM

Congratulations on your first swarm! We have not had one, I hope when we do, it is one like this. I think they were just waiting for the right person to come along, and you did!

It's so nice to know there are folks out there like JP that can help when needed. That's one of the best things about this forum - I have learned so much just from reading all the postings - and when I first started and asked "silly" questions, everyone was so great about it.

Let us know how your "little" swarm grows!
Peg

jdpro5010 · April 23, 2009, 03:59:21 PM

That is outstanding! Congratulations on your first swarm!

annette · April 23, 2009, 06:27:50 PM

Quote from: BeeHopper on April 23, 2009, 09:17:00 AM
Ahh Yesss, the thrill and anxiety of a " 1st Swarm " :-D

Congrats Annette and by the way, if you went alone, then who took the picture of you :evil:

The homeowner took some photos with my camera. They were the most wonderful people and as excited as I was about the whole thing.

annette · April 23, 2009, 06:39:24 PM

To all of you wonderful people who responded, I thank you all so much for truly sharing my excitement.

Today I went up and gave them a full frame of brood and pollen from another hive. I plan on switching their location with my really strong hive to try and build up the numbers. I sure hope they have a virgin queen, because I could not find a frame with eggs to give them.

Will keep you all informed how they build up.

I just loved all the warm sentiments from all of you, I could just feel the love coming through my computer.

Thanks so much
Annette

sarafina · April 23, 2009, 06:48:47 PM

Oh, how excitiing for you !!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!! I hope they do well in their new home.

annette · April 23, 2009, 06:49:53 PM

JP I thought about cutting that rope later on. Duh!!, but it was part of the umbrella and I wonder if the homeowner would have cared.

My first two tries did not work out that great. Shaking that rope made the bees fly all over the place. It was only after that I decided to just throw them into the box with my hands. That worked.

Thanks again.
Annette

poka-bee · April 23, 2009, 07:09:11 PM

YAYS for Annette! Amazing & fitting that your 1st swarm was on an umbrella! Of all the places! Those bees were meant to go home with you! Glad things worked, how could they not with mentoring from the "Swarm King"!! :-D J

eri · April 23, 2009, 07:13:36 PM

Congratulations, Annette! Nice, JP. Are you going to paint a parasol on one of the new hive bodies for good luck?

1reb · April 23, 2009, 11:01:39 PM

Congratulations Annette on you first swarm of bees

Johnny

vermmy35 · April 23, 2009, 11:43:59 PM

Gratz to you Annette and a big hand to JP for the swarm by proxy :evil:

annette · April 24, 2009, 02:32:58 AM

Quote from: eri on April 23, 2009, 07:13:36 PM
Congratulations, Annette! Nice, JP. Are you going to paint a parasol on one of the new hive bodies for good luck?

Nice idea!!

lmehaffey · April 24, 2009, 08:52:46 AM

Double-wow!! What an experience! Congratulations, ma'am.... too 8-)

HAB · April 24, 2009, 11:34:58 AM

THAT is Karma at its Best!!
Yesterday, my Wife, who is just four years younger than you (your both still quite young) caught her fourth swarm of the year. Puddin Head, our 16 month old Grandaughter got to watch the whole thing. The swarm was in a Pear Tree about 5ft off the ground. The two of them (I was taking my best friend in for a stress test) just had the best time. She said Puddin Head wanted to play with the Bees so Bad!! But that she managed to sit about three feet from the nuc while the stragglers marched in. Unfortunately she forgot the camera. :bee: :bee: :bee:

annette · April 24, 2009, 12:09:00 PM

Oh what a nice experience for both of them. Sounds like a happy family to me sharing all this wonderful stuff together.

SlickMick · April 25, 2009, 07:41:53 AM

Good on you Annette. Glad to know you have broken your duck (a duck in Aussie speak means zip, zero, nothing, zilch, nought, 0 etcetera)

Natalie · April 25, 2009, 10:30:02 AM

Annette Congratulations!! The perfect swarm for you. JP is such a good guy, glad that he was there for you! You'll be walking on air all week. :)

annette · April 25, 2009, 01:05:36 PM

I am walking on air and showing off the new hive to anyone who I can get to go up and see them. It was just an awesome experience and I hope this virgin queen turns out to be a good queen. This is my main concern right now.

Thanks for the good wishes. I just hope and pray I can manage all these hives properly.

johnnybigfish · April 25, 2009, 11:08:48 PM

Hey annette!
Thats great that you caught a swarm! And, after reading your story,I felt the excitement too!
I dont really know why it gets me so worked up catching bees, but it does! And swarms are sometimes just so darn easy!
Its great you didnt have to climb way up on a ladder with no help too!
I wish I was with you to share the excitement! It almost seems that its like taming a tiger except in a smaller version! Also, its like handling thousands of tiny loaded pistols flying around! You know what stings can feel like but you just jump in and catch the bees anyways, throwing caution to the wind! And, then, when they stay, you feel like the bees like you and are happy what youve done for them by giving them a nice house to live in!
This is GREAT Annette! I cant wait to hear how they do!...Now watch, you'll probably get back to back calls on more swarms!
And, JP! What a great example of how friends should treat each other! I'm thrilled that you took the time to help Annette out the way you did!..Giving your time to others is sometimes the greatest gift in the world!

your friend,
john

Bee Happy · April 26, 2009, 12:33:34 AM

"ahh, but you do not have a magic red umbrella.... Wink
Just teasing, annette too.[...]" -Natalie on April 19th 2009. (on my self-introduction)

...I guess she was right about that red umbrella being magic.
congratulations.