Swarm at top of conifers ?

[HM Honey]

What is the best method for getting a swarm down from the tops of conifers? A ladder seems like too much of a risk so would a bait hive work?

I was thinking of putting down a NUC with a couple of frames partially filled with honey and also maybe a drop of lure?

what is the likeleyhood of success?

 

[madasafish]

A very fit 73 year old member of our Association uses a 7 meter lightweight fishing rod, casts over the top branch (he IS of course a keen fisherman) and reels up a lightweight (poly nuc box with one empty brood frame+foundation) and leaves it there. When occupied brings it down again..

 

[Ivor Kemp]

Love the fishing method - LOL!!

The other method is for a gang of you to split yourselves up round the confifers and just sit and watch. Hopefully when it goes, which isn't usually that far, you can track it and nab it at it's new home before it has a chance to settle and start building.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I was thinking of putting down a NUC with a couple of frames partially filled with honey ?

Don't use honey - it will just encourage robbibg - nuc with a few used frames in is your only option - it doesn't have to be too close to the swarm either, just cross your fingers!!

A very fit 73 year old member of our Association uses a 7 meter lightweight fishing rod,

Must be fit to use a 7 metre fishing rod - at 23 feet long he wouldn't need much casting either!

 

[pargyle]

What is the best method for getting a swarm down from the tops of conifers? A ladder seems like too much of a risk so would a bait hive work?

I was thinking of putting down a NUC with a couple of frames partially filled with honey and also maybe a drop of lure?

what is the likeleyhood of success?

Depends on how high, how well established and how close together your conifers are ... I used to trim my 20' leylandi hedging from a ladder with a five foot board strapped to the top of it, horizontally, so that it spanned two adjacent conifers. Worked OK ... I've graduated to an ally tower these days to save my knees and my wife's nerves !!

 

[drstitson]

not this setup.

 

[pargyle]

not this setup.

Can't see the bottom of the ladder but probably it's not quite long enough and is resting on two pallets on top of two oil drums leaning up against a white Ford Transit (Tree fellers !) ...

Mind you - can't be worse than this one ... Ladder tied to top of gate !!!

 

[oliver90owner]

What is the best method for getting a swarm down from the tops of conifers?

First question is: How high?

Frame or two of brood comb is likely the best bet, but first let us know the approximate altitude we might be flying at!

 

[HM Honey]

What is the best method for getting a swarm down from the tops of conifers?

First question is: How high?

Frame or two of brood comb is likely the best bet, but first let us know the approximate altitude we might be flying at!

She said its about 25-30 feet up.

 

[pargyle]

She said its about 25-30 feet up.

OOPs...

 

[itma]

She said its about 25-30 feet up.

Leylandii?
Cut the tree down!

 

[meetballuk]

nock swarm off hope it settles lower down. if not get up there with box shake them in then pour into hive. wait and all be in hive hopefully.

 

[Luminos]

Leylandii?
Cut the tree down!

But then there won't be any more swarms

 

[pargyle]

Leylandii?
Cut the tree down!

They make great hedging ... only downside is that the growth can be 2.0m a year once they are established, gotta keep cutting them back. Ours in on the North side of the garden - great windbreak, loads of birds nests and keeps the neighbours hidden (it's far enough away from their house to cause any screening of sun - so I'm not the neighbour from hell !!)

 

[madasafish]

Don't use honey - it will just encourage robbibg - nuc with a few used frames in is your only option - it doesn't have to be too close to the swarm either, just cross your fingers!!


Must be fit to use a 7 metre fishing rod - at 23 feet long he wouldn't need much casting either!

He is 5 foot 5 inches tall...

 

[madasafish]

Leylandii?
Cut the tree down!

No. Great for owls.

(I was trimming the top of ours and a rather annoyed brown owl flew out. I nearly fell off the ladder which was 4 meters tall

 

[itma]

They make great hedging ... only downside is that the growth can be 2.0m a year once they are established, gotta keep cutting them back. ...

This one is over 25 feet up ... time for a trim!

 

[Little John]

Beevac with a long extension tube (like mine) - but only if you've got one handy ... obviously.

But - such tubes make your arms tired, very quickly.

LJ

 

[HM Honey]

Thanks for the replies guys. By the time I had got there, the bees had dropped down onto the floor. I put a nuc down next to them with two drawn frames in it. It took them a long time but with a little help from my smoker, they finally all settled in the nuc.

So off to my farm site tomorrow to get settled into their new home.

 

[pargyle]

Thanks for the replies guys. By the time I had got there, the bees had dropped down onto the floor. I put a nuc down next to them with two drawn frames in it. It took them a long time but with a little help from my smoker, they finally all settled in the nuc.

So off to my farm site tomorrow to get settled into their new home.

Aww ... shucks....there we all were eagerly anticipating rivetting photos of a 23' bee vac extension on the end of a fishing rod being dangled alongside an assistant with a ladder propped against the tree holding a skep ... what a let down ! Stillllll.... those of us with a little imagination can probably get the idea !