Settling a swarm by means of banging a tin drum

[oliver90owner]

Unless of course you are standing by your hive as it swarms?

In which case, they will soon settle anyway! Sounds like an urban myth (or rural mutts).

I somehow doubt a swarm, flying to its new chosen home, is going to take any notice whatsoever as they pass by…

 

[rolande]

Afternoon, on two occasions now I've heard of folk when a swarms in flight, they would bang on a tin drum not just one person but as many folk as possible, the swarm would then settle, is there any true in this?
Would the sound waves interfere with there flight path?
Is it to represent thunder?
These accounts are from farming family members.
What are your thoughts?

The idea I like best is that the tanging was a method of telling the rest of the neighbourhood to keep their hands off because they were your bees and you were intending to retrieve them. Then as time went by the original reason faded (not passed on to the next generation) but the practice continued so a 'reason' needed to be found. Speculation of course!

 

[Arfermo]

Afternoon, on two occasions now I've heard of folk when a swarms in flight, they would bang on a tin drum not just one person but as many folk as possible, the swarm would then settle, is there any true in this?
Would the sound waves interfere with there flight path?
Is it to represent thunder?
These accounts are from farming family members.
What are your thoughts?

Barmy seems to fit?

 

[Moobee]

Mead?

Not sure it had finished fermenting by the look of some of these posts!!

 

[ericbeaumont]

tanging was a method of telling the rest of the neighbourhood

This is the only reason that makes sense.

 

[fincaazul]

My understanding is that a lot of noise was made to advertise the fact that it was YOUR swarm and you were effectively claiming ownership.

 

[Curly green finger's]

This is the only reason that makes sense.

Aye maybe if your very local to folk with bees unless it was a swarm travelling from a few miles up the valley.
No neighbours for 2 miles

 

[rolande]

Aye maybe if your very local to folk with bees unless it was a swarm travelling from a few miles up the valley.
No neighbours for 2 miles

But the point is that the lore has probably been corrupted over time so what people did 50(?) years ago has no bearing on the theory in distant history. If a coincidental settling of the swarm occurred then that would go to strengthen the false reasoning.

 

[ericbeaumont]

local to folk with bees unless it was a swarm travelling from a few miles up the valley.

I guess it would have alerted a chain of people who knew the location of the beekeeper (an ancient WhatsApp) to get him or her to deal with the swarm, whether local bees or recent arrivals from afar.

 

[Garry R]

I am not very musical. Would a well hit triangle do the trick?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I am not very musical. Would a well hit triangle do the trick?

Depends What your geometry is like

 

[Garry R]

To give you an idea of my musicality, my triangle comes with a mute and silent option.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

To give you an idea of my musicality, my triangle comes with a mute and silent option.

Try this BDK-1 Full Size Starter Drum Kit by Gear4music, Black at Gear4music

 

[thorn]

all the historical records I've waded through over the years I've never seen mention that villages always had a handy cache of tin drums
or cymbals
Must be a inglish thing

It's how morris dancing originated.