Is this the swarmiest spring ever?

[brandydog]

Not had one call in my area. Think all colonies died or well managed!

Well heather if you need a swarm drive up to Warrington, another two call today one for bees and the other for bumbles, but they are in a bird box so I took them away and rehomed them

 

[JamezF]

Not had one call in my area. Think all colonies died or well managed!

Been very quiet here too.

James

 

[BrumB]

Been very quiet here too.

James

Certainly seems more swarms around brum and earlier than last year. Lots of them are small casts too!

 

[brandydog]

Certainly seems more swarms around brum and earlier than last year. Lots of them are small casts too!

Yes agreed majority of them I have got have been cast, had a few huge ones too, I have taken down my bait hives as I’m using them for swarms, but I can’t cope with many more, it’s starting to become a full time job keeping up with them

 

[Erichalfbee]

My bait hive on the potting shed never fails. Stan is letting us keep the colony up there for the summer, he inspects it and we move it to the apiary in the winter. I have only just tumbled to why he's OK with that after a few years resistance.

 

[Heather]

Certainly seems more swarms around brum and earlier than last year. Lots of them are small casts too!

Yep, been on call for BBKA swarm help line. Mostly Brum area. Nil below London..
Had a beautiful lady phoned ..' there were some bees in my kitchen yesterday, but I didn't mind. Today they re all over my work surface, kettle, walls etc... not afraid , but am 90 yrs old and want a cup of tea'.. Bless her.- sent a nearby beekeeper asap.

 

[BeeGiner]

Yep, been on call for BBKA swarm help line. Mostly Brum area. Nil below London..
Had a beautiful lady phoned ..' there were some bees in my kitchen yesterday, but I didn't mind. Today they re all over my work surface, kettle, walls etc... not afraid , but am 90 yrs old and want a cup of tea'.. Bless her.- sent a nearby beekeeper asap.

“Nill below London” you must be joking!
We live in Sussex and have had at least six swarms from our four hives in the last three weeks.
I would agree that our swarm control was inadequate (we were away on a months holiday in April)
But even so…

 

[Nick Lang]

Do people really ring about bumblebees?

 

[Boston Bees]

Do people really ring about bumblebees?

Of course! Bees are bees to most people. Probably 70% of our calls are actually about bumblebees. When tree bumbles are in mating season, this rises to 90%, given their predilection for "in your face" locations such as bird boxes.

 

[Heather]

Oh yes, usually explain they are temporary, safe and good learning feature. Some agree to keep, others insist I remove so I end up with extra bird boxes. One knuckledragger insisted I remove every bumble bee from his birdbox, which he insisted remained...and It was apparently MY JOB TO..so I assured him I would remain till every one was safely in my swarm box.. and I was £30 per hour. He declined my offer!

 

[Pembroke]

Of course! Bees are bees to most people. Probably 70% of our calls are actually about bumblebees. When tree bumbles are in mating season, this rises to 90%, given their predilection for "in your face" locations such as bird boxes.

I usually point people who contact us about tree bumblebees to this page on the Bumblebee conservation trust's website.

https://www.bumblebeeconservation.org/tree-bumblebee-bombus-hypnorum/
Oh and I ask them to read the bit about vibration. I play down the bit that suggests beeks will remove the nest as that seems to be the opinion of the article writer.

 

[BrumB]

Do people really ring about bumblebees?

Don't forget about wasps had a few of them over the years

 

[Curly green finger's]

Three swarms so far from missed cells I could kick myself .
Interesting my best colony from last year has 8 supers on it from none osr forage.

 

[fizzle]

Only getting ready to swarm here. Weather has been crap and they didnt have much room for brood. Sorted now.