Me collecting a swarm

[VEG]

Me collecting the swarm I posted about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvgAXWF0ZZY

I checked this hive today it had a laying unmarked (now marked) queen. Covering 7 frames.

 

[BKF Admin]

Nice Video Veg,I have added it to the forum members video's.

 

[marklaverda]

Swarm Collection

It is very interesting to me to see how other people successfully collect a swarm, using a different method to how I would go about it.
I do not normally apply smoke to a swarm, but spray it with sugar syrup solution, as it is believed this makes the bees less likely to want fly out of the container, as they are busy cleaning themselves or gorging on the syrup.
Additionally I have always been told (and have worn) wellingtons with the trouser legs tucked into them, as bees do not crawl upwards(sorry I mean downwards!!!).
Any thoughts on preferences? Interested to hear others comments.
Thanks guys for a very interesting video.

 

[BKF Admin]

Bees do not crawl upwards ?

 

[marklaverda]

Admin sorry you are right I meant downwards!!!
Having an elder moment this evening

 

[jezd]

bees do go up defo!

nice shiney suits, I must wash mine!!

I would not smoke a swarm, just no point, I would have cut the branch off and shook into a nuc box or hive.

Just what I would do

 

[darrenperrett]

Nice clear video, veg. I collected a small cast about a month ago and they`re going on a treat now.

 

[VEG]

The reason for the smoke was to move some of the bees off another branch to join the rest. Oh and it was my first time to do this. Must have done something right as they are now in the hive and laying.

 

[jezd]

The reason for the smoke was to move some of the bees off another branch to join the rest. Oh and it was my first time to do this. Must have done something right as they are now in the hive and laying.

Congrats, x finger they stay put

 

[Bcrazy]

Whenever I collect a swarm I always spray with water to cool the bees down.
I noticed you never turned the box upside down thus allowing the bees to cluster on the inside bottom of the box. Then all is needed is a stick or some other material to just lift one edge of the box off the ground for the bees to enter and exit.
This should be left until evening when all flying has finished and hopefully all the swarm is inside the box.
Please do not think it's OK to take away the swarm after an hour or so because that would leave flying bees wandering around aimlessly, and they become irritable.
This misconception that bees in a swarm will return to the parent hive is only applicable when the swarm settles within a few meters of the hive. Once the swarm moves off they loose all memory of the parent hive so can not return.
That's why it should be left till last light to collect the swarm after all fly has ceased.

After all said and done you did well to hive that swarm, well done.

Regards;

 

[Heather]

Called to a swarm yesterday (7th so far this year = none mine i hasten to add!!)
The man reporting said he knew they were bees as he was an entomologist- and he wasn't wrong. They ware low in a tree- but nasty. I suggested he go inside as they were chasing us - but he wanted to watch - but after he was stung twice he retreated
I dropped them all in a box, left it on its side with a small gap for access to stragglers. They were fanning well so I left them to go in at their own pace to collect later.
When I returned in the evening,my dear friend, the entomologist had opened the box wide- and the bees were nowhere to be seen. If they go back into his tree- they are all his!!!

 

[jezd]

Called to a swarm yesterday (7th so far this year = none mine i hasten to add!!)
The man reporting said he knew they were bees as he was an entomologist- and he wasn't wrong. They ware low in a tree- but nasty. I suggested he go inside as they were chasing us - but he wanted to watch - but after he was stung twice he retreated
I dropped them all in a box, left it on its side with a small gap for access to stragglers. They were fanning well so I left them to go in at their own pace to collect later.
When I returned in the evening,my dear friend, the entomologist had opened the box wide- and the bees were nowhere to be seen. If they go back into his tree- they are all his!!!

nice1, made me feel better about loosing a couple earlier this year, some people cant leave alone

 

[victor meldrew]

I made a swarm box ala' Dave Cushman complete with double entrance , one of which is fitted with porter bee escapes, works a treat .I can go away and return in the evening; all the stagglers having entered the box. .

John Wilkinson

 

[BKF Admin]

Was it this one you made John:

HERE

 

[victor meldrew]

The very one ,
I also made an adaptor for the top, (an extension so to speak), so that I can use is as a queen cell raising nuc, and unclip it to use as a swarm box/standard nuc .

John Wilkinson

 

[Heather]

If ever you are in the Sussex area, John.......
Mine was a hinged box from Wilkinsons - but the similarity ends there. I usually take a big cardboard box- but have given them away with swarms in and i dont get them back

 

[Bcrazy]

I have not seen any posts which mention skeps.

Do any others use skeps for swarm collecting?

I collect all my swarms into a skep and run the swarm into a Nuc before considering if the temperament of the swarm is OK then I will hive them. If not I chop 'em up and bung it under the microscope.

Regards;

 

[victor meldrew]

I sometimes use a "skep" ie a small laundry basket complete will lid and convieniently lined with calico type material . very cheaply obtained fron the local super markets !. the construction is of coiled natural fibre of some kind worked in the fashion of a skep proper.
Ok they only last 2 or 3 seasons (the way I treat them) but hey they're as "cheap as chips" . I use one of those bungee type straps with a hook at each end to keep the lid on when transporting .
Solid swarm boxes can't always be deployed in awkward places .

John Wilkinson

 

[victor meldrew]

If ever you are in the Sussex area, John.......
Mine was a hinged box from Wilkinsons - but the similarity ends there. I usually take a big cardboard box- but have given them away with swarms in and i dont get them back

If ever I'm in the Sussex area . Haven't been to Sussex since my elder son read physics at Sussex Uni.
I remember visiting him when he rented a bungalow in Bishopstone one Easter .
God it was cold ,there was all I can describe as an extremely cold draught constantly coming from the direction of the Channel, I was glad to get back to the frozen North

John Wilkinson

 

[VEG]

Bcrazy I didnt need to turn the box upside down as it had a hole in the side to allow the bees to enter after I had put the lid on.