no swarm catchin' blues

JP · May 10, 2006, 01:15:36 AM

I got the blues...the no swarm catchin' blues...Had a nice swarm cluster, low to the ground on a bamboo stalk. Placed a deep with frames and foundation next to the cluster, cut the bamboo stalk and gently shook the bees into the hive, turned my head for not even a second and they all went airborne on me, about 100' overhead. I had sprayed a little lemon pledge in the deep to attract them and did have some interested before I shook them but they took off and didn't come back. Apparently, the hive had fallen earlier today from another branch and had reorganized itself, when I came into the picture. What would you guys have done differently? This was my first swarm call and I got the blues...the no swarm catchin' blues.

TwT · May 10, 2006, 07:58:28 AM

the first thing I do is get a deep with the bottom board stapled or nailed together with the entrance screened closed, if I can shack the whole swarm in the box I just put the top on with no leaks and take home, golfsycho told me something a while back that has helped allot, have a couple of drawn frames in the hive before shacking, just 2 or 3, when I get home I put a frame of brood from another hive in it and then put the rest of the frames in and haven't had one leave yet... if I can get the whole swarm in the deep at one time I also bring a nuc to get the rest after the remaining bee's cluster again, have it seal up also with the entranced screened close and after getting it home and the 10 frame deep setup I just shake the nuc in the deep... it works for me....

Michael Bush · May 10, 2006, 08:08:28 AM

You did fine. Bees do what they want. I' have had swarms just stay and I've had them fly back to the tree several times before they stayed.

My guess is they had already been through the process of finding a home and you showed up just as they were about to leave.

TwT · May 10, 2006, 08:32:10 AM

I was working the other day and my wife called me about 2:00 pm. she said I got a call that morning about a swarm that had already made some comb in a pine tree, she went and looked at it and went ahead and removed it for me, when she called she said you have bee's in the back of your truck that I removed this morning, when I got home all I had to do was set up the hive.... it nice to have a wife like that.... I got lucky, she's good as gold and this was her first swarm removal

:lol:

JP · May 10, 2006, 10:43:15 AM

I appreciate the responses and it's nice to cry on some friendly beeks shoulders every now and then. Feel better now, thnx. It seems like the consensus is that it definitely helps if there is something in the hive or box or whatever you are trying to catch them in that could make the bees feel more comfortable staying for awhile. After reading the posts to my dilema and some others that have hived swarms it does seem that sometimes it's just hit and miss. I saw that Wuzie captured a swarm with basically the same idea that I had in mind. Of course, I would like to maximize my chances of securing a swarm. Like Mr. Jim Fischer said it's about service.

Ted, I like the idea of screening off the bottom entrance and adding some drawn frames. And Ted, do you rent your wife out for swarm removals? Perhaps she could instill some of her secrets onto my wife!

Scott Derrick · May 10, 2006, 10:54:41 AM

JP,

I recently removed a swarm from a stereo speaker. http://www.midstatebeekeepers.com/hive_photos/speaker_box.GIF
What I did was spray the bees with 1 to 1 sugar water that was mixed with about 1 teaspoon of Honey B Healthy. This coats their wings and keeps them from flying. I was liberal with the spray but not enough to drown them. I used a plastic scraper and gently pushed / scrapped the bees into the hive body. The Honey B Healthy has Lemongrass Essential Oil which contains some of the same natural pheromones that bees use to attract workers (such as geraniol).

I also sprayed the frames prior to putting the bees in the hive body and I introduced a frame of brood from another hive I had. They seem to be doing very well although I haven't look at them in about a week. I plan on checking them this Saturday if weather permits.

JP · May 10, 2006, 11:50:48 AM

rsderrick,
In retrospect, I thought it would probably have been a good idea to spray them with some sugar water. I have heard that wetting them would keep them from flying and the sugar would keep them interested,perhaps they would groom or feed alittle. It seems there are many different ways to handle swarms. I have got some really good options as to approach for my next one. It also seems that a swarm will sometimes just do what it wants to. I haven't dealt with any before so with experience I am hopeful I will be more adept at dealing with them. There's of course always the possibility that this hive was ready to relocate at any minute and had already picked out its new home, just my luck. I am supposed to get an order of lemongrass oil in today, I will investigate the Honey B healthy, thnx for your response, JP.