Deep end or what! swarmed today!

[MandF]

Just a quick question/point.. is it not advisable to use smoke when collecting swarms?

I thought the only thing you need to do is get the queen into your box/skep, and ensure there is an entrance available, and if the queen is in there the rest of the swarm will follow. If you use smoke you are masking those pheramones?

If you need to calm them down, then spray with water?

Not collected a swarm myself, but thats what I understood - no smoke necessary.

 

[simonf]

 

[enrico]

Quote: I thought the only thing you need to do is get the queen into your box/skep, and ensure there is an entrance available: unquote
Lol
Oh that it was that easy. In principal you are absolutely right but in practice sometimes smoke is the only thing that will get them moving out of the most annoying places they find to swarm into!!
No absolutes I would say

 

[drstitson]

personally i'd use smoke if i needed to guide the bees up into a box above them. otherwise i just use water spray and then shake/brush the bees into suitable receptacle.

 

[oliver90owner]

is it not advisable to use smoke when collecting swarms?

A fairly simple choice about whether to use smoke or not, when you think about it. Try the word 'gravity'; that is likely enough to at least start the thinking process.

 

[MandF]

In the context of the OP.

He said he had got the main swarm into the box, and used smoke to get the rest in. My point was, if you have the queen in then using smoke is counterproductive?