Sound as a repellent

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Well I don't know about tanging, but I captured a swarm from one of my hives last month by just standing in the middle of my garden with my hand in the air.

Granted, I was holding the queen in a clip (she was clipped and I found her on the ground in front of the hive). A cluster stared to form on my hand which I then set down on the top bars of an open nuc. 15 minutes later the swarm was in the box.

In many parts of Africa that is the norm - was once shown a 'swarm stick' basically a 2 foot long stick with a queen cage on the end - although how you'd find the queen to put her in it was a great mystery to me, I think the process was, if you saw the swarm preparing to leave the hive, you popped in, found the queen and caged her, then got the wife to stand there waving the stick so the swarm would land on her!!

 

[gmonag]

Great thing to impress beginners with
I hope you took a video!

Yes I did.

https://youtu.be/2eMdxjUL1wI

 

[Erichalfbee]

Cool

 

[Murox]

Yes I did.

https://youtu.be/2eMdxjUL1wI

Nicely done.

 

[Saluki]

I've also read it is to imitate a thunderstorm and that will bring the swarm down.

I should have added I've also read shining a light into the swarm will down it. Presumably that simulates lightening???

Anyway, back to the original post, I think there is an old technique involving tapping the hive with sticks to drive bees from one skep into another (or to clear a box of bees). And reports that they don't like the sound of rain on metal roofs. So there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that bees are sensitive to sound (which seems reasonable to me), but as with a lot of beekeeping you need to take how that works with a pinch of salt.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Bees reacting to striking their hive with a stick or with rain are likely responding to vibration.
How many times have we heard the suggestion that you can tell whether your bees are alive in mid winter by tapping the box......shock horror!

There is an interesting piece about how bees hear in the ABJ
https://americanbeejournal.com/sounds-of-the-hive-part-1/

 

[Saluki]

Bees reacting to striking their hive with a stick or with rain are likely responding to vibration.

Yes which is what sound is. Put some loud speakers next to something like an old cast iron pipe and it is going to vibrate. A lot.

Without looking up the detailed biology of the honey bee, I think it is likely that a communal insect living in the dark is going to use vibration/sound as communication. It's whole body is small enough to be used as a receiver and pick up the vibrations. It stands to reason that they are not going to want to live where this communication is disrupted. They can also probably assess the insulation of the potential hive from vibrations.

So although playing loud music to deter a swarm is unconventional, I don't think it is as outlandish as it first seems. What have you got to lose apart from some possibly miffed neighbours due to the loud music?

 

[Popparand]

It works well if you play Max Bygraves.

Beebumble and the Stingers, shurely?

 

[Karsal]

Has anyone heard of using sound as a deterrent against a swarm moving into an inconvenient location? Playing loud music next to an entrance they are looking at moving into?

No but I had a couple several days ago who sprayed an arriving swarm with the hosepipe then as it settled on their conifer hedge a can of fly spray and finally a tub of ant powder.

Picked the swarm up from under the hedge and hopefully i got the queen . Its now in my out apiary recovering. Needles to say they got stung several times before they called me!!

 

[beeno]

Has anyone heard of using sound as a deterrent against a swarm moving into an inconvenient location? Playing loud music next to an entrance they are looking at moving into?

I do not believe that sound would actually deter them as apparently they are deaf, but blocking entrance, smoking entrance spraying water may get the scout bees to choose another location or indeed letting day light in which I believe on one occasion did the trick for me.

Another idea: I am the bee whisperer or I am quite sure the client thought so. Swarm settled in flat roof, but seemed unruly. Thought they might be trying to get a virgin out to mate. Decided that I would wait until 1500 hrs. Climed the ladder and there she was on the soffit board. Picked her up caged her and put her in nuc. Picked the nuc up in the evening. Saved the client a lot of money!

 

[Bear]

No but I had a couple several days ago who sprayed an arriving swarm with the hosepipe then as it settled on their conifer hedge a can of fly spray and finally a tub of ant powder.

Picked the swarm up from under the hedge and hopefully i got the queen . Its now in my out apiary recovering. Needles to say they got stung several times before they called me!!

That swarm had two doses of insecticide administered to them? Best of luck with them!!! Just hope you don’t spread it to your own colony’s off your gloves etc.