Collecting swarms

[Tom Jay]

I took a pic on Wednesday while teetering on the top of my double ladders up into a blackthorn tree. My own bees, tree in next door garden overhanging mine so no hassle. All safely hived now!

 

[meetballuk]

honey bee swarm, if there quiete a distance you should charge petrol. as the local bloke should cover it
bumbles in bird boxes are easy to move, but only if they are unwilling to live with them

had 10 calls this year and only one was unwilling to live with them as was to close to slide for gran kids.
very nice bird box looked like a miniature barn!

 

[Anduril]

what does the app do?

It identifies the bees and provides a count of the different varieties in your garden.

 

[Karsal]

Swarms

Picked up a swarm from about 16ft up clustered on a gable end of a cottage yesterday. Used a long brush with a cardboard squeegee gaffer taped to it. Had to improvise as step ladders were to short. Scraped them up off the wall into a 'V' shaped catcher at the bottom of the card. Did the trick. tipped the cluster of bees into the nuc and I had the queen thankfully.
The old lady had a guy turn up last year and charge her £50 before looking at a swarm in the same place. Then said it was a honeybee swarm and got in his van and drove off. £50 better off.
Our association don't charge for collecting swarms.
This is my fifth swarm this year so far although two arrived in my bait hives in my garden.

 

[Zante]

Can swarms be combined as you would for normal colonies?
I'm guessing that if you can you'd need to kill all the queens but one of the swarms you're combining...

 

[B+.]

Can swarms be combined as you would for normal colonies?
I'm guessing that if you can you'd need to kill all the queens but one of the swarms you're combining...

Yes they can. If there are multiple queens, they will fight it out. Its best to seal them in for a while (i.e. overnight) until they have settled

 

[Zante]

Yes they can. If there are multiple queens, they will fight it out. Its best to seal them in for a while (i.e. overnight) until they have settled

Is it a good idea to have the queens fight it out though?
What's the likelihood of the victorious queen also being damaged?
... or is it the best way of combining when we're talking about swarms?

 

[B+.]

Is it a good idea to have the queens fight it out though?
What's the likelihood of the victorious queen also being damaged?
... or is it the best way of combining when we're talking about swarms?

It wasn't a recommendation, but, it is possible.
Personally, I would requeen a swarm anyway so I'm probably not the best person to ask

 

[Zante]

Personally, I would requeen a swarm anyway so I'm probably not the best person to ask

Not a bad practice. Probably I'll end up following it too for any swarm I might capture.

Would you requeen by grafting a queen cell from another hive or with a fully grown queen?

 

[B+.]

Not a bad practice. Probably I'll end up following it too for any swarm I might capture.

Would you requeen by grafting a queen cell from another hive or with a fully grown queen?

I usually have a reserve of queens that I can replace a swarm queen with

 

[Eyeman]

Bucket in a bucket

My tried and trusted swarm collection kit.
One ex-honey bucket with mesh over drain hole,
One smaller bucket with smoker/fuel/hive tool.

At least 3/4 of all the swarms I collect can simply be lightly sprayed with water ( to reduce flying and provide moisture during containment). Then shaken into large bucket and lid put on.
During the tea break with owner most of the remaining bees congregate on the original site so 30 min later gentle spray and into small bucket.
If its a bush / tree then branch that held cluster is removed and site sprayed with kitchen cleaner to dissipate the bee's smell.
Job done and owned warned may still be a grapefruit size cluster remaining but will gradually disperse.

 

[NickDub]

I generally charge £10 if I get called to drive somewhere for a swarm, but I use a bit of discretion if it seems the money might be a problem.

 

[Charlieanne]

Collected two swarms on Monday, one from my Bosses' garden, the other from a neighbour of the person who's field I used to keep bees on before he sold it. One in a tree, other other hanging off a garden table, only casts but in nucs and doing well.

Just word of mouth and very happy to get them so no charge. Wouldn't refuse a donation if on the swarm collection list and had to travel though.