Too early for swarm traps?

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My bees are a couple of miles from my house and I keep spare equipment in my garage. On Saturday I went outside near to my garage door and noticed 3 or 4 bees buzzing around possibly smelling the used equipment inside. I thought they may be scouts so I put a poly nuc with old drawn frames next to my garage door. Gradually over the weekend the numbers of bees arriving and going in has increased. I've just looked outside and there's loads buzzing about. They look like an active hive. Is this likely to be scouts with so many or are they robbing any old deposits which I dont think there was any? Am I safe to look in or will it put them off if they haven't moved in yet?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
 
Blunt Spike said:
My bees are a couple of miles from my house and I keep spare equipment in my garage. On Saturday I went outside near to my garage door and noticed 3 or 4 bees buzzing around possibly smelling the used equipment inside. I thought they may be scouts so I put a poly nuc with old drawn frames next to my garage door. Gradually over the weekend the numbers of bees arriving and going in has increased. I've just looked outside and there's loads buzzing about. They look like an active hive. Is this likely to be scouts with so many or are they robbing any old deposits which I dont think there was any? Am I safe to look in or will it put them off if they haven't moved in yet?

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Click to expand...

From your description, it sounds like a swarm has already taken up residence. I had one move into empty equipment myself the other day. This nice weather after so much cold/wet weather is perfect for swarms - any colony that was making preparations to swarm couldn't choose a better time to do it than the present.
 
B+. said:
From your description, it sounds like a swarm has already taken up residence. I had one move into empty equipment myself the other day. This nice weather after so much cold/wet weather is perfect for swarms - any colony that was making preparations to swarm couldn't choose a better time to do it than the present.
Click to expand...
I do hope so, my first swarm in 4 years of beekeeping. I have been concentrating on my couple of hives not catching new ones. Thanks.
 
B+. said:
From your description, it sounds like a swarm has already taken up residence. I had one move into empty equipment myself the other day. This nice weather after so much cold/wet weather is perfect for swarms - any colony that was making preparations to swarm couldn't choose a better time to do it than the present.
Click to expand...
This is essentially what happened to me what I thought was a swarm was in fact just lots of scouts
I moved a couple of boxes of old comb out of the garage and hid the rest At night fall they all left and I was disappointed
Yesterday I was ready all suggestions on this thread
Things I didn’t know like swarms don’t like varroa floors (so I put the tray in which was the best I could do
Yesterday when I got home from work I lifted the lid to add a drop of lemon grass oil only to find they’d taken up residence while I was gone
I’m very excited
I hope you all have success
It’s been such a cold anxious spring here in the west of Ireland
At last it’s a little warmer
 
Dorchop said:
This is essentially what happened to me what I thought was a swarm was in fact just lots of scouts
I moved a couple of boxes of old comb out of the garage and hid the rest At night fall they all left and I was disappointed
Yesterday I was ready all suggestions on this thread
Things I didn’t know like swarms don’t like varroa floors (so I put the tray in which was the best I could do
Yesterday when I got home from work I lifted the lid to add a drop of lemon grass oil only to find they’d taken up residence while I was gone
I’m very excited
I hope you all have success
It’s been such a cold anxious spring here in the west of Ireland
At last it’s a little warmer
Click to expand...

That’s fantastic, congrats! One of my bait boxes is teeming with scouts today....literally dozens and dozens all grouped around the entrance and flying around the box. I really thought a swarm would arrive today but nothing yet....maybe tomorrow!

What’s the protocol now you’ve caught them..... transfer them into a full size hive and feed with syrup? I’m totally new to Beekeeping so not too sure what the best course of action is if I’m lucky enough to catch a swarm...
 
I’m pretty new too I have the advantage that they moved into a brood box already of old comb
So they are hived in my garden I don’t even need to move them
Also the hawthorn has just started to flower
I’m sure someone else in here will have better advice than anything I could give
I hope your swarm does move in tomorrow
You’ve waited a long time and now they are just teasing you😀
 
I've been away for three days and it's been hot. I came home at 6pm to find a lot of scouting action at one of the "useless" holes in an Abelo box at swarm trap#2, next to my hives! o_O. There were a few at trap#4, in the garden across the lane and the odd nosey parker hanging around my stack of boxes. I'm going to get an update from trap#3, in my friends' garden and will check #5 tomorrow.

At the end of this short vid, a bee flies straight over my shoulder. :)


 
Blunt Spike said:
I do hope so, my first swarm in 4 years of beekeeping. I have been concentrating on my couple of hives not catching new ones. Thanks.
Click to expand...
In addition to the suggestion to look for pollen, tap on the side of the box once it"s dark with an ear against it. If there is a swarm in there you will hear a distinct roar. If no sound, then it is just scout bees visiting during daylight hours.
 
Do224 said:
View attachment 26426
Click to expand...
Seeing your video i definitely think you're in with a good chance here. I should say that I saw high levels of activity for some days before the swarm arrived. Like you i kept thinking 'could be today' & it never was. In the end I'd kind of given up hope & then they arrived!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you - keep us all updated.
 
RichardK said:
Seeing your video i definitely think you're in with a good chance here. I should say that I saw high levels of activity for some days before the swarm arrived. Like you i kept thinking 'could be today' & it never was. In the end I'd kind of given up hope & then they arrived!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you - keep us all updated.
Click to expand...

Cheers Richard, yeah I know what you mean....it’s very frustrating!
 
Well all the dozens of scouts that have been interested in my bait hive disappeared this afternoon. I’ve heard that tends to happen before a swarm arrives so was eagerly anticipating one but it wasn’t to be. Is it just likely to be the cooler weather today (about 17 Celsius max and overcast) or is it likely they found somewhere they preferred and are gone for good?
 
Do224 said:
Well all the dozens of scouts that have been interested in my bait hive disappeared this afternoon. I’ve heard that tends to happen before a swarm arrives so was eagerly anticipating one but it wasn’t to be. Is it just likely to be the cooler weather today (about 17 Celsius max and overcast) or is it likely they found somewhere they preferred and are gone for good?
Click to expand...

This is what was happening around my bait hive immediately before my own bees headed out in a swarm. Since that issue has now been sorted there have been no visitors at all; obviously I have been anticipating the arrival of my own bees. :banghead: So I suspect your bees have been similarly sorted.

I'm not giving up on acquiring new blood though, and I'm sure you won't. The temperature being on the rise seems to favour swarming, but when they need to swarm they will.

 
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