Please stop sending me swarms bee neighbour!

[jimbeekeeper]

To my beekeeping neighbour

Please stop sending me your swarms!. In the last month you have donated to me 4 very nice swarms, possibly of Italian nature.

They all very willingly moved into my carefully positioned bait hives, so it made collection very simple.

Regards



Joking apart, there must be a keeper near to me that needs a bit of guidance in swarm control.

How have others done with their bait hives?

 

[Poly Hive]

total of zero mainly due to Admin never sending me the infallible swarm lure.

Sighs..........

PH

 

[BKF Admin]

I never made any this year,promise to do some over winter.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I think Admin was waiting for the key ingredient, which I believe was the sweat from an virgin Essex girls fore-head.

I just used a frame of very old foundation and some lemon grass oil

 

[whizzwheels]

Bait Hive

As a newbee, how would one go about making a bait hive?

What would it consist of, drawn foundation, swarm lure, etc ?

and where in relation to existing hive would be the best place to locate it?

thanks in advance

 

[marcros]

I just used a frame of very old foundation and some lemon grass oil

Same here. Fleabay for a bottle of lemongrass oil. £5 for a lifetimes supply!

 

[beeboybee]

no luck so far..............

 

[Haughton Honey]

Aren't we getting a little late in the season for swarm traps now.....?

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I would say no.

Last year a lot of people lost swarms end Aug/ sept time, due to feeding in aug (bad weather) then the ivy came out and the queens had no where to lay.

But I have packed my bait hive away, I am full up!

 

[Haughton Honey]

I would say no.

Last year a lot of people lost swarms end Aug/ sept time, due to feeding in aug (bad weather) then the ivy came out and the queens had no where to lay.

But I have packed my bait hive away, I am full up!

Cool! I'll get one out there then

 

[lusklabs]

I think Admin was waiting for the key ingredient, which I believe was the sweat from an virgin Essex girls fore-head.

Good luck finding it.....

 

[jon]

Jim:
Do you quarentine all the swarms you collect?
I have gone off collecting swarms in case they come with something nasty.
Mind you I have a great quiet colony which was a swarm which came out from behind a fascia board last year.

 

[jimbeekeeper]

Yes Jon, They are all in my home site.

This along with detailed records and examination gives a me a good feel for them.

But, main point I consider is if a colony has swarmed, it must have been strong enough and well enough to have developed to a swarming state.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Jon, can understand anyone being wary of swarms,but just out of interest how many swarms have you collected in the past with something nasty,and what was it. Or has anyone near you had something nasty from a swarm.

 

[FROGDOGDIVER]

I think Admin was waiting for the key ingredient, which I believe was the sweat from an virgin Essex girls fore-head.

Good luck finding it.....

I concur. Good luck finding your essex girl virgin sweat... Rarer than the imfamous rocking horse SH%T!!!.......ha ha

 

[Geoff]

I caught a teeny weeny cast with a few frames of old foundation and swarm lure. I only found them when i came back home to use the hive for a swarm that I was struggling with. I chucked them into a nuc hive later.
The queen must have then mated . They are out on a farm where 20 acres of field beans are just finishing but there are loads of clover and blackberries still round. I will see how they do over the next month.

 

[jon]

Jon, can understand anyone being wary of swarms,but just out of interest how many swarms have you collected in the past with something nasty,and what was it. Or has anyone near you had something nasty from a swarm.

I have never personally had a problem collecting swarms but when you have more colonies, you realize the risk of screwing everything up is one you are less prepared to take.

 

[Hivemaker.]

Obviously makes good sense,the worst thing i have ever had with any swarms was Acarine,which was quite common pre varroa,and allways made bee's restless in winter, think they tried to swarm more in spring to try and escape the bugs,which of course they could not. And am just interested if anyone had collected any swarms with anything worse.