Papa Bear found a swarm on one of the traps. I don't know if they had stopped to rest or were trying to make up their mind if they were going to move in. They were bearding up on the bottom of the trap which is only about 5 feet off the ground. It is real close to my apiary so it may even be one of my hives that swarmed.
I decided not to wait until night to get them just in case they were resting. I put on my bee suit and got my gear together. I put the new brood box underneath the trap, removed the top and the frames from the center and shook the bees into the brood box. When I opened the trap there were about 50 or so bees inside so I am glad I decided to take them as they were probably just resting there. It took a while for them to settle. I was beginning to wonder if I had the queen as they started gathering on a nearby fence post and were making very little attempt to go into the brood box. I finally decided to leave them alone and see what happens. I went to check on them a few minutes ago and there are only a few outside the brood box. Most have gone in and they are no longer roaring like before. Just at dark I will attempt to move them to the apiary.
Three more of my traps are showing a little activity at them. Maybe I can make them stay this year. The two swarms I caught last year absconded in a day or two and my splits just never worked but I learn something new each time.
Nice!!! I am betting it's gonna be at least a month or more before we see any swarms up here... at least a month.
ReplyDeleteIf you steal a frame of eggs from one of your established hives and put them in the new hive the swarm will stay. They won't abandon eggs. Another trick I did was to put a piece of queen excluder over the entrance so if they swarmed out again the queen couldn't go with them. The swarm I pulled that trick on tried to re-swarm about a dozen times before they finally gave up. I bet they were saying "what is wrong with this %^$$ queen" LOL.
I have now moved them to the apiary and they were all still inside and very quiet. I put an entrance reducer with only one hole showing and stuffed a bit of hay in it. I'll make up some syrup for them and feed them in the morning. If I can find my queen excluder I will cut a piece of that and place over the hole. I like that idea! Very Smart! Looks like a great deal of bees in there.
DeleteMamma Bear,
ReplyDeleteNice save!!! I bet you'll have all kinds of bees before you know it.
Sandy, I hope so. I am completely out of honey. I did not take the fall honey as I believe it was mostly goldenrod and I have been told it smells like dirty socks! If I can keep the bees happy I now have a total of 4 hives! Three I will check for honey in a week or so!
DeleteAh, honey. I feel like winnie the pooh right about now.
ReplyDeleteSenior, We are looking forward to honey. We haven't had any of our own all winter. I hope when I take it in a week or so I have an abundance of the gold stuff!
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