First swarm of 2020

[manek]

My first swarm of the year, anyway.

They were clustered around the bottom of a rough fence post with a couple of horizontal posts just shoved through a hole in the vertical. The bees were all around the junction of the horizontals and I suspected, as I brushed bees off the post into my swarm box, that she was lurking inside the hole in the vertical.

Half an hour of gentle persuasion, one clump of bees at a time into the box - and suddenly, there she was on the ground. Picked her up, plonked her in the box, job done, or so I thought.

I watched the bees piling into the box - and then I watched them flying out again. Couple of minutes later, the box was completely empty. They were swarming around my head - and then there was a clump on the ground. There she was again, under a increasing cluster of bees. I managed to capture her and put her back in the box.

And there she stayed. What I learned from that is that even if all seems lost, watch the bees carefully and learn from their behaviour.

I was also quite pleased at being able to spot her so quickly, which I'm rubish at when they're on the frames.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

My first swarm of the year, anyway.

They were clustered around the bottom of a rough fence post with a couple of horizontal posts just shoved through a hole in the vertical. The bees were all around the junction of the horizontals and I suspected, as I brushed bees off the post into my swarm box, that she was lurking inside the hole in the vertical.

Half an hour of gentle persuasion, one clump of bees at a time into the box - and suddenly, there she was on the ground. Picked her up, plonked her in the box, job done, or so I thought.

I watched the bees piling into the box - and then I watched them flying out again. Couple of minutes later, the box was completely empty. They were swarming around my head - and then there was a clump on the ground. There she was again, under a increasing cluster of bees. I managed to capture her and put her back in the box.

And there she stayed. What I learned from that is that even if all seems lost, watch the bees carefully and learn from their behaviour.

I was also quite pleased at being able to spot her so quickly, which I'm rubish at when they're on the frames.

I've had a swarm walk into a box and thought job done only to watch them come pouring out ten minutes later and clear off over the rooftops. Scouts must have turned up with news of a des res

 

[Ian123]

I had a call from a friend today a swarms just gone into a flat roof on a pub, I may have to go and offer some advice.

 

[pargyle]

Last year a swarm in my lilac tree in the front garden were put into their new box FOUR times (with the queen) and each time returned to the tree .. the last time was at dusk and I think they just got to the stage where they were fed up of being dumped from the tree into the box and gave in ... I stil have them. Sometimes they need a bit of persuasion that your des res is up to their standards.

 

[manek]

I've had a swarm walk into a box and thought job done only to watch them come pouring out ten minutes later and clear off over the rooftops. Scouts must have turned up with news of a des res

I know how that goes! The coda to my story is that, while I was away fetching a new hive for the swarm, they swarmed again. Fortunately, she didn't get much further than right next to the swarm box! So when I got back, a bit surprised to find the box empty but covered in bees, I had it all to do again.

Bees, eh?

Still, they're now snug in a new hive with fresh foundation. Let's hope they settle in....

 

[Antipodes]

I'm not sure if possible in your case Manek, but perhaps a frame of brood (in various stages) in the box with the swarm might help keep them there?

 

[beeno]

Put a QX on for three days usually does the trick.

 

[Heather]

I always spray a bit of Beequick on the tree where the swarm had been to shift last few bees..seems to stop them returning.
Just dont stand under when you spray.. makes the eyes STING! even if bees dont!

 

[manek]

Thanks for the suggestions. They swarmed again this morning but then returned to the hive eventually. I'm hoping this means they've decided that it's their best bet....

 

[E&MBees]

Thanks for the suggestions. They swarmed again this morning but then returned to the hive eventually. I'm hoping this means they've decided that it's their best bet....

Mine swarmed twice before getting the idea to stay put. After the second time, I put the queen in a cage with a bit of fondant at the end. (She now has a clipped wing). By the time they had eaten through it, the bees had drawn out some foundation for her to lay in. She has now laid 2-3 frames of eggs.

 

[manek]

Strewth! They swarmed for a third time yesterday afternoon, finally settling on a gravelly driveway. So I gathered them up - still magic watching them walk up into the box once you've caught HM.

Plonked them back in the hive, together with a frame of brood stolen from another hive (they weren't best pleased).

No phone call so far this morning....

Sent from my Mi A2 Lite using Tapatalk

 

[derekm]

I learnt a lot from the experiments of putting swarms into Artificial trees,

1) Dont rush a swarm. Once they have settled. They need to be left for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour. If they are not in a single dense swarm cluster .... wait (easier said than done).

2) The entrance to the box/hive/tree needs to be properly dark, even colouring the area around the entrance seems to help a lot. (charcoal is good for this)

3) Make your box/hive/tree entrance and interior smell of bees. rubbing with bees wax works well

Following this I went from almost having zero success, which was extremely frustrating, to 100% success getting swarm to go where I needed them. I hope you benefit from my mistakes

 

[Horseradish]

Been a "swarmy" year for me so far. Had to split one of my hives three times now, and been called out twice to collect others swarms. Everything is well ahead in my area and this barmy weather seems to be great for the colonies.

 

[manek]

I learnt a lot from the experiments of putting swarms into Artificial trees,

1) Dont rush a swarm. Once they have settled. They need to be left for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour. If they are not in a single dense swarm cluster .... wait (easier said than done).

2) The entrance to the box/hive/tree needs to be properly dark, even colouring the area around the entrance seems to help a lot. (charcoal is good for this)

3) Make your box/hive/tree entrance and interior smell of bees. rubbing with bees wax works well

Following this I went from almost having zero success, which was extremely frustrating, to 100% success getting swarm to go where I needed them. I hope you benefit from my mistakes

Thanks Derek - that's very useful advice.

 

[Heather]

I was grabbing a super off as OSR in area. They then swarmed as my back was turned.. serves me right for not ploughing through checking for Q cells. But the queen was clipped and they all piled under the original hive.. So thoughtful of them.
My beautiful queen is safely back in a hive, next to her original space..and I swapped them over to collect all fliers to boost the swarm, cos the original had wall to wall brood, and loads of stores too.
Left a lovely Q cell, and harvested 3 more, to incubate.. time to prepare some apideas!. This lock in aint boring..

 

[Gunzo]

Put a QX on for three days usually does the trick.

Very good idea. I caught a huge swarm today. Managed to find the queen and she’s in a clip until morning.

I will however be putting a QE down now. Thanks for that

 

[derekm]

BTW one of artificial trees swarmed on Thursday and setteled less than 10m away. A really big swarm out of a 45 litre cavity. very docile. They are now in a poly hive.

 

[Gunzo]

I always spray a bit of Beequick on the tree where the swarm had been to shift last few bees..seems to stop them returning.
Just dont stand under when you spray.. makes the eyes STING! even if bees dont!

:

 

[Frodesley]

Early swarming

Wednesday 22/4. Bees swarmed into nearby pear tree and some went onto a fence post. Attempted to capture them but very difficult because of positioning. They decided to go back home but swarmed the next day, 23/4, into my bait hive- so chuffed! As a relative beginner I didn’t realise that I needed to close off the mesh floor. So on Friday afternoon, while I was busy elsewhere, they swarmed and I have lost them.
I hadn’t realised that they would return home initially so this has been a huge learning curve. Let’s hope that I can do a split on my second hive before they decide to abscond.