First Swarm catch of the season!

Started by alfred, June 09, 2011, 11:32:35 AM

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alfred

June 09, 2011, 11:32:35 AM
Caught my first swarm of the season. In my own backyard. I had been planning to do inspection this week end to see if any of my hives were thinking of swarming and split them but I was late..

I happened to be looking out the window and saw them swarm. Very cool to see, like a big tornado of bees! I had a swarm trap/ baited hive set up but instead of going into it they went underneath it... once they settled down it was an easy catch. Just held a box underneath them and shook them into it. They are now happily set up in their new home with some supplies I stole from another hive.

Probably easier than the split I was going to do. Just lucky that I was there to see them though. I will have to inspect all hives this weekend to see what the others are up to. Not sure why they went under the baited hive rather than into it. At least it did seem to attract them.

AllenF

#1
June 09, 2011, 05:53:57 PM
Sweet,  It is great when you are around to catch them.

D Coates

#2
June 09, 2011, 06:05:11 PM
Congrats!  Sounds like you've got it fully under control.  Catching a swarm or doing a cut out always gets my blood pumping.  I pulled a freshly hived swarm out of a huge water meter box (12 inch PVC, 2 1/2 feet deep) yesterday.  I'll be sure to watch them for any aggressiveness as I've been told going underground is an AHB trait.
Ninja, is not in the dictionary.  Well played Ninja's, well played...

schawee

#3
June 09, 2011, 06:38:15 PM
good job,love it when you see the swarm coming out the hive.       ...schawee
BEEKEEPER OF THE SWAMP

KD4MOJ

#4
June 10, 2011, 09:53:32 AM
Great Job alfred.  I saw one of mine swarm. had 3 bait hives but alas... they decided they like the pine tree next door 35 feet up in the air! DRATS!!!

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

greenbtree

#5
June 11, 2011, 04:20:05 PM
June 11th here - still waiting on my first swarm call of the season.  Handed out business cards to the local police/fire dispatchers and pest control companies - nada so far.  Keeping my fingers crossed...

JC
"Rise again, rise again - though your heart it be broken, or life about to end.  No matter what you've lost, be it a home, a love, a friend, like the Mary Ellen Carter rise again!"

alfred

#6
June 12, 2011, 09:20:59 AM
It is good to hear that my bait hives aren't the only ones that don't really work. I did set it back up afterwards though so that maybe the next swarm might take to it.

Looked at my other hives yesterday. none of them look swarmy to me. All i know to look for is the formation of queen cells.
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