Smoke up? Brush down? Something else?

[JamezF]

Just got back from failing to collect a swarm that had settled right next to the door of a local church.

They left for their new home right on the point of me collecting them. Apparently they'd been there over a day already so I wasn't entirely surprised.

I'd opted for a pincer movement, scooping upwards with a cardboard box from below whilst gently brushing downwards from the top, but never actually got to the point of testing it. Would there have been a better way?

James

 

[Ely]

I'd have been tempted to hold a box above and smoke them upwards into the darkness.

 

[Parsonage Bees]

Oooo! Pink stone! Fancy!

Reminds me of my first swarm capture attempt. Was about 8pm when we got there and they'd settled in for the night. My cunning plan was to tie a nuc box under the ladder and encourage them to move up. They didn't move until the following morning, trying the box out for size, then ending up on the ground at the base of the ladder. Put a bigger box over them and they climbed in.
Took 18 hours total. Should have just knocked them down into a box that evening.

 

[Antipodes]

Just got back from failing to collect a swarm that had settled right next to the door of a local church.

They left for their new home right on the point of me collecting them. Apparently they'd been there over a day already so I wasn't entirely surprised.

I'd opted for a pincer movement, scooping upwards with a cardboard box from below whilst gently brushing downwards from the top, but never actually got to the point of testing it. Would there have been a better way?

James

You could have sprayed them with a little water if you were aware that they were about to go, but you get little warning (I often carry a water spray bottle with me...mainly for coaxing/encouraging the last bees into the entrance when locking up bees for moving).
They are generally harder to collect when they are on a hard surface like that. A frame of (healthy) open brood does wonders for capture too.

 

[Wilco]

I'd have gone for box below and use a brush from a dustpan and brush to sweep them in gently.

 

[ericbeaumont]

gently brushing downwards

sweep them in gently.

Yes, but abruptly with one sweep, before they know what's going on.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Yes, but abruptly with one sweep, before they know what's going on.

Yes get the bulk of the bees into a box an put the top on to keep it dark. If the queen is there the rest will follow.

 

[blackcloud]

I lightly spray the cluster with water all round until they glisten as soon as I've got the veil zipped
A bit more into the air to get some flying bees thinking the weather has turned.
Long side of a correx box pressed against the wall underneath and a bee brush (the only reason to ever use one) to flump them down into the box preferably in one hit.
Some frames lowered in gently with the box on the floor with the entrance disc facing the wall
Lid on and come back at stupid oclock next am.

 

[JamezF]

Today's swarm:

They'd taken up residence in a chimney, but the house owners immediately lit a small fire and drove them out, at which point they settled on the wall. Unfortunately having shaken and brushed them into a box, I found this:

Every time I smoked them out they came running back and started fanning. I've blocked the hole with a glove now, so we'll see what happens when I go back to collect the box.

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

For heavens sake, James. Are you in some sort of Swarm Universe?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

For heavens sake, James. Are you in some sort of Swarm Universe?

Swansea today is swarm after swarm - my email mailbox is full of swarm reports

 

[Antipodes]

Today's swarm:

They'd taken up residence in a chimney, but the house owners immediately lit a small fire and drove them out, at which point they settled on the wall. Unfortunately having shaken and brushed them into a box, I found this:

Every time I smoked them out they came running back and started fanning. I've blocked the hole with a glove now, so we'll see what happens when I go back to collect the box.

James

It seems you are getting all the hard surface ones. Have you had one on a car yet?

 

[JamezF]

For heavens sake, James. Are you in some sort of Swarm Universe?

Honestly, this year feels like it. I think I'm up to fourteen so far this month. It's not just me either. Some swarm collectors around here have run out of kit and space to put them.

James

 

[JamezF]

It seems you are getting all the hard surface ones. Have you had one on a car yet?

That's one place I've not had one so far. And that's not an invitation, should any colony about to swarm be reading...

James

 

[JamezF]

Every time I smoked them out they came running back and started fanning. I've blocked the hole with a glove now, so we'll see what happens when I go back to collect the box.

Well, I have a box with some bees in. I left a wall with some bees in too. It would appear that they found another way into the same cavity. Not entirely a surprise given the state of the wall.

So I have no idea what to expect for the moment. My gut feeling is that if they'd found the cavity and decided it would do for a home then the queen would be inside and I just have a box of workers. On the other hand I smoked the initial entrance hole like crazy and no more bees were running out before I put the glove in. If I had a waterproof swarm collecting box I could have left it there until tomorrow evening to see if they'd come to a decision, but I'm not sure that would have made any difference, never mind that the owners have a dog they'd probably have to have kept indoors for the day. If the queen is still inside the wall and they decide to make a go of it then it will be a major pain given the position of the wall in the garden.

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

If the owners want them out put a one way cone on the hole with a nuc box nearby. The foragers will not be able to get back in to build a nest and the queen will not be able to lay or be fed. She may come out but if not at least you will have removed the potential problem.

Edit ….. you will of course have to find and seal their other entrance.

 

[JamezF]

If the owners want them out put a one way cone on the hole with a nuc box nearby. The foragers will not be able to get back in to build a nest and the queen will not be able to lay or be fed. She may come out but if not at least you will have removed the potential problem.

Edit ….. you will of course have to find and seal their other entrance.

Definitely worth a go. I'm sort of hoping that I do in fact have the queen and those left behind will give up on the idea given a week or so. I'm just preparing myself for disappointment

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

Definitely worth a go. I'm sort of hoping that I do in fact have the queen and those left behind will give up on the idea given a week or so. I'm just preparing myself for disappointment

James

 

[Newbeeneil]

By the sound of it the queen is still in there so the quicker you get that one way valve on the wall the quicker
you will resolve the situation. Don’t give them a chance to stock the larder!
I did it to a hole in a tree above some kiddies swings that a swarm had gone into. They all left within a day.

 

[JamezF]

Fair point. I'll give some thought as to how I can seal stuff to the wall. This may be one job that duct tape just isn't up to.

James