Monday, April 8, 2013

Caught another swarm today !!!!!

...but it was mine!

Papa Bear called and said he was picking me up, something was happening in the apiary.  When we arrived at the bee yard there were thousands of bees in the air.  I told him our hive was swarming but to just watch and we'd see where they were going as I had read they do not go far to begin with.  I had seen 3 queen cells in the main hive Saturday and thought I had a few more days until they emerged to give me time to set up another nuc...WRONG!

Sure enough they landed on a limb of a fallen tree from the last storm about 50 feet from their hive .  I went back to the house for a bee suit and sent Papa Bear after a bucket with a lid.

Every time I shook the limb I would get a bunch of bees but hundreds would fly back into the air.  By the time I would get that bucket load shook out into the new hive  and go back to the limb they would be settled again. 

 Now that is a bucket of bees!  Not to mention they were all over me! 

I think I made four trips to shake another bucket into the hive.





 I am trying to get the last of the bunch here.  I tried to cut the branch off with some loppers but it was so dry it snapped and fell before I could catch it and a pile of bees hit the ground and the remainder took to flight again.  I am praying the entire time that I had already gotten the queen.

 They buzzed angrily for some time after I got them tucked in and fed so I was a little worried I had lost the queen but after a couple of hours they seem to be settled in.

What a day!...I am so thankful Papa Bear saw this going on so we could capture the swarm, even if it was ours!  We had no guarantee they would have went into one of our traps.

Mama Bears stings for the day 0
Papa Bear 6...that man has got to learn to suit up! 

10 comments:

  1. Sweet!!! You gonna have to make more bee hives soon I bet.

    A good way to keep the swarm in the box is to place a frame of eggs in with them. Bees will not abandon eggs or larva.

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    1. Thanks for that info PP...I stole two frames from my one established hive today. So I don't know if I should get another. I took out the frames with the remaining queen cells and put them in a nuc. I sure don't want them swarming again anytime soon. That hive is loaded with bees and two medium supers are almost filled with honey. I am still excited that we caught this one!

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  2. Wonderful! Good luck with them, so glad he saw the swarm...and yes, he needs to suit up!

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    1. Thank you Katidids. I need all the luck I can get. I am still learning as I go!

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  3. What a tough guy, one bee sting would have sent me running the other way, congratulations, maybe next time he will suit up or at least part way.

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    1. OH TL...He's so silly. Not only was he not suited up to begin with but had on a dark Hawaiian type shirt with flowers all over it. Bees don't like dark and the flowers probably pissed them off worse!

      He did later put on his suit to help cut the limb after I botched the first try and dropped it. The zipper later messed up on his hood. I've got to try to repair it or order another.

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  4. Replies

    1. sci..it was awesome..I didn't have time to be afraid!...all I could think of was I did not want those bees getting away!

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  5. I love to hear about bees. An allergy to bee stings can occur after years of being stung with no ill effects. I was laughing and cringing at once about the Hawaiian shirt and bees.

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    1. Linda...The shirt was too funny! I told him that was why the bees were chasing him plus the fact he'd stepped into the shade and made the flash go off on the camera. Those bees probably thought they were having an alien invasion!

      The Marine and I both have unknown allergies and have to keep Epi-Pens on hand. If anyone has an allergic reaction...we're ready!

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