Author Topic: swarm today (Read 3796 times)

vvand111 · « **on:** March 23, 2017, 04:45:43 pm »

Wife called me as I was getting on airplane to come home today. My #1 hive has swarmed. They only moved about 30 feet from their hive. They are clustered on a flimsy 40 foot tall Leyland cypress tree about 35 feet off the ground. trying to work out if I can get to the cluster. Does not look good as I will probably not get home before dark.

Hive still has a tremendous number of bees in it. Wife opened top and sent a pic.

I guess that hive is queenless now but I believe I am correct that they will have a new queen before 2 long. Now for a new plan to deal with this hive.. It seems I have read so much but all the info is getting jumbled in my mind right now.

Comments might help me get it all straight again. Tough to be on a plane right now.

( yes Iddee and Perry they now have wifi on the plane)

Vandy

tedh · « **Reply #1 on:** March 23, 2017, 07:21:47 pm »

All may not be lost vvand111. They MAY hang out in the tree for a day or two. Maybe longer, or not. Check when you get home or in the morning. I've got my fingers crossed for you! Ted

vvand111 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 23, 2017, 08:30:40 pm »

Thanks Ted. Just got home and of course I cannot see a thing. I di look at hive and wife was correct that hive is full of bees.

I put 3 more 10 frame boxes with frames and lure out and I guess I will just have to wait until the morning to figure out possible plans.

Nugget Shooter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 23, 2017, 08:41:01 pm »

Good luck getting them corralled

Barbarian · « **Reply #4 on:** March 24, 2017, 02:49:45 am »

Your #1 hive will now make some Q cells. With a strong hive there is a risk that when the Qs emerge they could leave as casts/after swarms. There is also the risk that a single Q may be lost on a mating flight. If a new Q is mated, there is a risk that because the hive is strong she will be slow to start laying.

In your situation, I would wait until you have some sealed Q cells and then move the hive to a new position. With less bees at the new position, the risk of casts will be reduced and a mated Q will start to lay sooner.

On the old hive stand, I would put a new beeless hive with a frame of eggs (from another hive) and some frames of stores. If things go to plan, this hive will make a new Q.

Barbarian · « **Reply #5 on:** March 24, 2017, 06:04:33 am »

Sorry ....... I realised I had got it wrong.

A swarm wont usually leave until there are sealed or nearly sealed Q cells present. You will need to do the hive move in the next few days. Once the hive is moved you can set up the new hive on the old stand.

tedh · « **Reply #6 on:** March 24, 2017, 12:39:50 pm »

I'm curious vvand111, were/are they still there?

vvand111 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 24, 2017, 03:09:12 pm »

Yes, 15 feet from hive just 35 feet in the air. Between foot ball and basketball size cluster.

tedh · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2017, 03:44:56 pm »

Thanks! Please keep us posted!

vvand111 · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2017, 08:38:28 pm »

Just got in.. Wild. Put a 12 foot ladder to get on roof of wood/honey house. Put another 12 footer on roof against tree. Trimmed branches up the side of the tree to get just below cluster. It turned out to be 4 clusters attached to ajoining limbs. As I tied off a limb I would lowere it into a larch cardboard box on rooftop. Then I would cut my rope and tie off next limb.

Once I got them all 4 lowered into box I waited about 20 min. Came down top ladder, Tied loop around box and lowered the box to the ground. Waited a few more minutes and took full box around to a 10 deep box with plastic foundation and shook and duped them all in. Left branches with unshaken bees in front of hive.

Wow how exhilarated and exhausting it is to get it done. Now lets see what happens?? any advice?

vvand111 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2017, 08:59:26 pm »

vvand111 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:04:25 pm »

Quote from: vvand111 on March 24, 2017, 08:59:26 pm

The first pick is me lowering the 4 clusters from roof to ground. The 2ed pic is me cutting the 4th cluster limb from the tree. The next pic is of the general setup with me on top of the 12 foot ladder on top of roof

vvand111 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:19:01 pm »

Just went back out to check on them. They are still buzzing up a storm. Most of the bees left on limbs are crawling into hive. Some are still on branches.

This hive box is only 20 feet from original hive they swarmed from??? It is oriented differently but???

Should I feed as they have no drawn comb.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:28:22 pm »

Quote from: vvand111 on March 24, 2017, 08:38:28 pm

.. Put a 12 foot ladder to get on roof of wood/honey house. Put another 12 footer on roof against tree. Trimmed branches up the side of the tree to get just below cluster. As I tied off a limb I would lowere it into a larch cardboard box on rooftop. Then I would cut my rope and tie off next limb.

Came down top ladder, Tied loop around box and lowered the box to the ground.

any advice?

Yeah, make sure you've got your health and life insurance paid up before you go after those swarms!

Perry · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:28:44 pm »

Sorry, just checked this thread now.
First, my hat is off to you for doing what I might have done years ago, but won't now. It can be tough to lose a swarm when you've only got a few hives. You took some chances up there.

If the bees are orienting to the new box you have likely got the queen in there, but you want to have something else in there to make it worthwhile for them to stay. Sugar syrup would help, a frame of drawn comb would be good too.

tedh · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:40:45 pm »

Everyones on the same page! I saw that second pick and thought, "Does his mother know what he's doing?!". Good job!

You might place a frame of brood in there with the captured swarm, might help them decide to stay put. Uncapped larva might be best? And yes, feed, feed, feed. At least until they get some frames drawn out. At that point make sure they aren't filling the new cells with syrup, and if they aren't, feed, feed, feed. I think. Ted.

vvand111 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2017, 09:48:18 pm »

Great. I will mix up some sugar water tonight, put that on in morning after moving a frame of brood from hive #2 into the box

Thanks guys

tedh · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2017, 10:06:33 pm »

Hey vvand111, was that your first swarm capture? If so, it's quite a rush isn't it? Looks like it went WAY better than our first. Congradulations and again, GOOD JOB! Ted

vvand111 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2017, 10:20:52 pm »

My 1st If it had not been mine I probably would not have gone to this extreme. Loved it and wife stood on ground watching and taking pics. Very cool. I hope they stay as they r waynes bees, never been treated and have just exploded in population this spring. Got this queen last May and have harvested 9 frames of honey in the first year to avoid being honey bound. I hope I can hang on to them.

tedh · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2017, 10:43:05 pm »

They truly are good bees. We plan on getting 4 or 5 new Wayne's queens this spring. Need to replace 2 and want to start a few more colonies of them.

vvand111 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2017, 11:46:06 pm »

Yea,

I am headed up to NC to pick of 4 nucs on Sunday. Hope I will see IDDEE on Tuesday when I pick them up. I will PM him as soon as I nail down schedule. If not I am sure Keith will take care of me.

Wow what an experience today.

Got sugar water ready and will put that on early. I am beat. We are cooking down at our pool tomorrow for 125 people. Never stops

vvand111 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 25, 2017, 09:31:00 am »

Put a frame of brood in with the swarm this morning. Added a feeder with sugar water. I shook the limbs several times before tuning in last night. As I shook they walked into hive. This morning just about 100 bees on one branch that I cut yesterday. I removed them and they went into the hive.

All of that being said there is a baseball size cluster on my ladder on top of the roof. About 3 feet above where I cut the highest cluster there is another cluster about soccer ball size. I guest if they are still there after todays festivities I will go back up and get them.

Mikey N.C. · « **Reply #22 on:** March 25, 2017, 09:59:39 am »

Great job.
And Perry said i wasn't afraid of heights.
Thank goodness you had that building to help.