Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => HONEYBEE REMOVAL => Topic started by: BeeMaster2 on March 14, 2012, 11:07:42 pm

Title: My first trapped swarm
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 14, 2012, 11:07:42 pm

I set out 2 swarm traps, one in my yard and one in my neighbor, Jim's yard. On Sunday we thought they swarmed out of the Squirrel box hive that I received late last year on a swarm call in November. There were hundreds of bees in the air but no ball formed. There were bees all crowded at the entrance to the swarm trap in Jim's yard but when we checked it after dark it was empty. On Monday they did the same thing to the swarm trap in my yard but again when we checked it that night it was empty. We never did see a swarm hanging any where but a large mass of bees would come out of the hive and spin around and then large numbers would land on the traps and go in. We thought we had lost the swarms. My father in law told me there was a good chance that all we saw was the scouts checking them out. On Tuesday when I came home from work, Jim and I went back and checked on the Squirrel hive. It looked a little quieter than usual but was still rather busy. The swarm trap in my yard was empty. We walked ofer to Jim's yard and imeaditely saw a large beard hanging on it. Below are a couple of videos that I took of it. The first on was taken with my I phone and you will have to turn up the volume to max to here it. The other 2 were taken with my new camera. I hope you enjoy them.
Jim
Swarm 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbcLDCQW5tg#)

Bee Swarming (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CP7cH51mdw#ws)
Bee Swarm 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNE6YK42NeM#ws)

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: rufus on March 15, 2012, 01:13:46 am

Congrats!

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: schawee on March 15, 2012, 01:30:07 am

nice catch jim.         

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: hardwood on March 15, 2012, 01:46:07 am

Good one! Thanks for posting.

Scott

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: beyondthesidewalks on March 15, 2012, 12:52:08 pm

COOL!

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: Country Heart on March 15, 2012, 02:53:59 pm

Nice

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: AllenF on March 15, 2012, 10:06:52 pm

Sweet.

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: Dragan on March 16, 2012, 12:27:39 pm

Thanks for posting your videos.

Title: Re: My first trapped swarm
Post by: BeeMaster2 on March 16, 2012, 12:29:17 pm

Thanks all, they are still in the 6 frame nuc trap. The second day they were so active that I thought they were being robbed. I'm pretty sure it was massive orientation flights. Is that normal?
Jim