first swarm collection

[phil edwards]

Hi I collected my first swarm from up a tree last week I got the queen and as many bees as I could the lady has contacted me today saying the is a few hundred bees still in the tree is this likely to be from the first swarm and if so what is the best way to deal with them? Cheers Phil

 

[abm]

When feasible i remove the branch the swarm is on, removing the urge for the flyers to return to.

 

[Karsal]

Hi I collected my first swarm from up a tree last week I got the queen and as many bees as I could the lady has contacted me today saying the is a few hundred bees still in the tree is this likely to be from the first swarm and if so what is the best way to deal with them? Cheers Phil

Did you leave the box with the swarm and queen inside until at the site after dusk?
If you left as soon as you had what you thought was the whole swarm earlier then this then the returning scouts will have nowhere to go. collecting a swarm is not just 'grab them and run' you have to have consideration for the returning bees and also the people whose property you collected them from. The desperation of the homeless bees can make them a nuisance at the site.

I too made this mistake when I first collected my first couple of swarms but realized when I had another call from the householder who was still having problems two days later with aggressive bees.

It's always best to leave them and go back later

 

[Heather]

Karsal is spot on.. Patience is the name of the game.. and i sometimes spray a smidge of Bee Quick (almond scent which bees detest) on the original branch to discourage return there. Makes for a quicker decision by bees to go in the box.

 

[madasafish]

Hi I collected my first swarm from up a tree last week I got the queen and as many bees as I could the lady has contacted me today saying the is a few hundred bees still in the tree is this likely to be from the first swarm and if so what is the best way to deal with them? Cheers Phil

You may have had two separate swarms with multiple queens..

Climbing trees to collect swarms is not fun if trees are congested with branches - see mountain ash.. You may miss a small cast..

 

[Barbarian]

When I have got the swarm in a box, I watch the entrance of the box. Bees moving in and fanning going on usually indicates that the Q is in the box.
I now leave the box containing the swarm (with an open entrance) on a stack of milk crates several meters away from the swarm roost.
I hang an air freshener block at the swarm roost.
I return at dusk or dawn, close the entrance and collect my A/F block.
Seems to work ..... most times.

 

[phil edwards]

Hi I waited till after dusk the branch was removed but I have since had a msg they turned up a couple of days latter I will go back and look the original swarm queen is hear thanks for all the advice.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

When I have got the swarm in a box, I watch the entrance of the box. Bees moving in and fanning going on usually indicates that the Q is in the box.

The first ever swarm I collected was a shake off a branch, mostly into a brood box. Bees were fanning at the entrance and the bees on the grass began to march in. About half the outside bees were in when I spotted the marked queen heading for the entrance. Thus "usually" has no guarantees

 

[phil edwards]

Went back today seems like a small cast I've put them in I transport box and convinced the owners to let me collect it tamo evening cheers everyone for your advice