Retrieving swarms

[TwT]

well Scott Derrick referred a lady to me yesterday about a swarm in her back yard, I went yesterday evening and got it, took about 5 minutes, when I got home I normally put a frame of brood from another hive in with them and some times put a queen excluder under the hive body, well yesterday evening when I got home it was getting late so I just put them out and opened the entrance reducer, well this morning there was a 7 pound ball of bee's about 40 foot up on a small 2 inch limb and no way I could get it, so I figured I lose them, well today when I got home they were gone so I grabbed a beer and went out to see if I could get lucky and find them, sure enough they were on a fence post and I got a hive set up by them so I could scoop them and put them in the hive, just hoping I wouldn't hurt the queen, scooped about 4 pounds of bee's and there she was still on the post so I grabbed her and put her in the entrance and in she walked, this time I had a frame of brood and put a queen excluder under the hive body, also put a top feeder on and they all going in now so I think this time they will stay but we will see, I thought I might have lose my first swarm ever but still got them so for... we will see but I think I got them this time!!!!!

[Robo]

Lucky you....

I'm sitting here with 18" of snow waiting ........... :-D

[thegolfpsycho]

Put one of those tiny queen cages in your pocket.  Next swarm you gather up, if you happen to see the queen, cage her.  A frame of brood, a caged queen, they'll probably stick around.