Any scouts at your swarm trap?

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Nothing today scoutwise in Solihull although a swarm has been reported to the local branch in search of a collector.
 
Nothing today scoutwise in Solihull although a swarm has been reported to the local branch in search of a collector.
The local B & Q garden centre was partially closed off yesterday as a large swarm had landed there ... there was a notice up about it .. I asked whether someone was dealing with it and was told 'it's all in hand' - hopefully one of our association swarm collectors is on the case ? Haven't heard anything about it ..
 
You need to work out better communication.
Trouble is that too many people know me via others! Last year I had a farmer deliver a swarm that dropped in his cow yard! It wasn't prime but it sure is this Spring. Sweet nature and firing on all frames!
 
Two weeks ago I checked my hives. Zero sign of swarming. I marked the queens and then (heaven forfend!) spent a weekend with some friends. Inspection two days ago and one hive had swarmed. Grr. The good news is I have now got rid of the nasty queen in another hive and can breed a new queen and put qc into a nuc to replace the hive I lost over winter. Sounds like chaos? It felt like it. But I’m looking on the positive side of new young queens from a nice hive and third hive back up and running. If. If. If all goes to plan! Plus they are about as local as they could be being about 1m apart. Now fingers crossed. 🤞
 
A few scouts were sniffing around the entrance to my home bait hive this afternoon. They're all well tucked up now though -- we just had a hefty thunderstorm go over. I wonder if it's the hive I have with a supersedure cell that's thinking of swarming...

James
 
A few scouts were sniffing around the entrance to my home bait hive this afternoon. They're all well tucked up now though -- we just had a hefty thunderstorm go over. I wonder if it's the hive I have with a supersedure cell that's thinking of swarming...

James
The forecast later in the week looks good over there. London in particular. 23 degrees for four days in a row is good.
 
I’ve gone through three out of four yesterday and today and found no swarm cells….but there are several scouts at one bait hive. I’m inspecting no4 tomorrow with my granddaughters. I hope they don’t all fly off as I open the hive!
(Having said that my ability to spot queen cells has proven to be fairly lamentable up to now.)
 
I knew it! The minute we reached the New Forest, I got a call about a swarm in a chaps chimney which then decided the apple tree in his garden was the best bivouac spot. Very easy collection apparently, grrrrrr! That's it. No more May holidays!
 
One of my four bait hives collected a swarm from one of my double nucs..all of 5 meters away.
 
Ironically I have bait hives but hope they stay empty.
I want to reduce colonies but would rather attract a local swarm than it take up a problematic home in a neighbour's property and me get the blame!
 
I knew it! The minute we reached the New Forest, I got a call about a swarm in a chaps chimney which then decided the apple tree in his garden was the best bivouac spot. Very easy collection apparently, grrrrrr! That's it. No more May holidays!
I had a week long holiday last May and came home to swarm city. Never again!
 
Likewise! 3 week holiday from mid April (they seemed "behind" when I left. I couldn't keep up on my return!!
I expanded my apiary by 150% against my better judgement just to settle things down. 🤯
 
... Also can't wait to get back to Portugal in early July to see if this repurposed pallet has had similar success at snaring some Apis Mellifera Iberiensis 🤞
 

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I've had one arrive this morning, and I'm absolutely certain they're not mine, because I was inspecting mine at the time :D

James
A couple of years ago I was mid inspection when I looked up and there was a swarm just across the garden starting to settle, it was one of mine but I couldn't tell which until I opened it! Thought the one I was in was noisy! 🤣
 
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