Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: dfizer on June 27, 2013, 11:14:02 pm

Title: In the rain?
Post by: dfizer on June 27, 2013, 11:14:02 pm

Hello - I got a swarm call late this evening just as it started to get dark and interestingly enough it started to rain pretty heavily at almost the exact same time.  What does a swarm do in the rain?  Will they seek some sort of shelter? 

Should I expect them to be there in the am?

Please advise!

David

Title: Re: In the rain?
Post by: iddee on June 27, 2013, 11:24:20 pm

They will be there, and likely armed to the teeth. Be well dressed.

They will form a ball and spread their wings to cover each other and the rain will shed off them like a duck. They will be fightin' mad and ready to do war as soon as it stops raining.

Title: Re: In the rain?
Post by: dfizer on June 27, 2013, 11:31:20 pm

Thanks iddee - I never considered the change in disposition but it make perfect sense.  It kind of reminds me of the saying "mad as a wet hornet". 

David

Title: Re: In the rain?
Post by: Roy Coates on June 29, 2013, 11:00:11 pm

I just did a swarm removal, it was lightly raining. I donned me veil and gloves thinking they would be mad. I didn't find them too testy. Just lucky I guess. They had been there 24 hours and weathered a significant rain storm that night. I go them just before it cleared up completely. No Stings. Hope yours turns out as well

Title: Re: In the rain?
Post by: BlueBee on June 30, 2013, 03:39:23 am

I though the proper analogy was; 'madder than an old wet hen'?  Maybe I got my analogies mixed up again.

As the others have said, the bees just aren't smart enough to get in out of bad weather. :(  That can be a problem in our northern climates if we get a cold rain.  Cold rain does kill bees.