first swarm

[barry]

i got a phone call yesterday telling me of a swarm of bees in a park local to me. we have just split a hive so have no spare kit at the moment so i made a makeshift nuc box out of cardboard boxes and put 5 frames in there. got to the park expecting another false alarm (been called to bumble bees twice already) and there was a nice big bunch of bees in a bush. we shook them into the box and left it until last night so any stragglers could find their own way in then sealed it up and took them home. this morning i gave them to another local beek who needed some bees. what a great feeling to collect a swarm.

 

[VEG]

Well done you!

 

[SteveJ]

Get this one last weekend from an allotment near my bees. Covered six frames in the nuc. Thought it was one of mine, but had a thorough check of all hives and didn't find any QCs. Must of come from somewhere else.
View attachment 4050

Then got a call tuesday for another one on the allotment. Unfortunatly I was away on business. Came back thursday evening to find a soggy wet swarm still there. Now safely ensconced in a nuc. Again not mine, but hey are now.
View attachment 4051

SteveJ

 

[Tom Bick]

Nice one Steve I suspect the 2nd a cast from the same hive

 

[SteveJ]

So do I. And even better not one of mine. I got one about three weeks ago from almost the same location. That was one of mine.

 

[drex]

Hi Barry,

I hived my first swarm yesterday too, having only been called out to Bumbles so far.

Problem was they were my own bees. This hive had been AS'd only a few weeks ago, and had plenty of space, as I recently replaced two supers which I had extracted (OSR). I had not inspected for over two weeks, as the BB had no eggs or uncapped larvae, and I could not find the marked queen, and left one unsealed queen cell.

It was blowing a gale and they were about 12 feet up a very whippy tree, which was surrounded with thick undergrowth. I managed to get a ladder up, and cut off the two branches they were gathered on, and shook some of them into a nuc box Lionel was doing his best to hold up to me. It was hilarious to see him disappear under a cloud of bees. Anyway we must have got the queen, as we put the box down and they all slowly went in while we went and inspected the hives.

On opening up the hive the swarm had come from, there were several queen cells, and we stood and watched as a new virgin emerged. They obviously did not like my chosen QC and had made more. I destroyed the remainder.

Failing to obtain advice I turned to Hooper, who said in this situation to return the swarm to a new BB on its original site, which I did ( as if doing an AS).

Tonight all is well, the swarm is busy and hopefully drawing out loads of new foundation.

Hope all is well with you. Are you taking part in the Beth C open day later this year?

Des