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Author Topic: First swarm 2018  (Read 4639 times)

Online BeeMaster2

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #20 on: March 25, 2018, 10:55:16 pm »
Van,
Thanks.
Not sure if the red was correctly marked. We talked about that and several of us at Beefest do not mark for the year, we used colors that we could easily see.
Jim
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Offline jalentour

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2018, 12:27:20 am »
Swarms?
I'm still trying to keep my bees alive from winter!

Offline Robo

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #22 on: March 27, 2018, 11:02:40 am »
Here she is Jim.

« Last Edit: March 28, 2018, 10:24:17 am by Robo »
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Online BeeMaster2

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #23 on: March 27, 2018, 09:48:24 pm »
Rob, the picture did not post. Please repost it. I will add it to my records.
Jim
Democracy is 2 wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote.
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Offline tycrnp

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #24 on: March 28, 2018, 09:08:17 pm »
We've got a swarm in 1 of our 3 traps.   :grin:

How long do you leave the trap to let them get settled?  Do you wait until evening to get the trap so most of the foragers are home?

Offline Acebird

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #25 on: March 28, 2018, 09:14:11 pm »
I have never caught a swarm but I would wait until they pull wax.  If the queen lays eggs then you are definitely good.
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Offline Waveeater

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #26 on: March 28, 2018, 10:48:30 pm »
I try and give them at least 3 days. Sometimes a week or more if that works for me. I usually have several frames of pulled comb in the trap ahead of time.  I had very good luck last year with my traps and they all stayed. I had to give some a frame of brood and I made sure to give them plenty of food. I moved the majority of mine late in the afternoon or at night. Good luck.

Offline tycrnp

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #27 on: March 28, 2018, 11:00:53 pm »
At our local club meting they recommended empty, foundationless frames as the bees would be more likely to move in. I'll make sure to put some frames of pulled comb, and maybe some brood, when I transfer them to a hive.  Thanks!

Offline Robo

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #28 on: March 29, 2018, 10:55:24 am »
I run 4 foundationless frames with wires and 1 drawn brood comb.   I leave them at least a week to settle before I move them.   This gives them time to draw comb down to the wires and for the queen to start laying.

https://youtu.be/92EgotwfZCA
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Online Ben Framed

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #29 on: March 29, 2018, 11:12:53 am »
I run 4 foundationless frames with wires and 1 drawn brood comb.   I leave them at least a week to settle before I move them.   This gives them time to draw comb down to the wires and for the queen to start laying

https://youtu.be/92EgotwfZCA

This was a very intresting video and educational as well. Thanks for posting.  Phillip
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14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Ben Framed

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #30 on: February 24, 2024, 04:17:03 pm »
Terri Yaki I thought of you when I ran across this topic.

Phillip
« Last Edit: February 24, 2024, 04:52:04 pm by Ben Framed »
2 Chronicles 7:14
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Online Terri Yaki

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #31 on: February 24, 2024, 04:48:16 pm »
Other than the swarms that I've seen at my neighbor's, I've only seen a couple in all my years. I was unaware that they are all this common.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #32 on: February 26, 2024, 05:52:31 am »
Left to their own most colonies swarm most years.  Some colonies swarm multiple times per year.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Online Terri Yaki

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #33 on: February 26, 2024, 08:47:34 am »
I could easily see myself meddling around with splitting hives and breeding queens. It sounds easy enough. Is there much of a market for nucs and queens in a given area?

Online Michael Bush

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #34 on: February 26, 2024, 10:08:58 am »
There is always a market for nucs and packages and queens.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
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Offline cao

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #35 on: February 26, 2024, 01:05:13 pm »
Other than the swarms that I've seen at my neighbor's, I've only seen a couple in all my years. I was unaware that they are all this common.
Left to their own most colonies swarm most years.  Some colonies swarm multiple times per year.

It is really easy to miss seeing a swarm.  If you are not near the hive when they leave(15-20 min.) or when they are landing on or leaving their temporary stop(again about 15 min.), you may not notice anything at all.  Also it only takes a few minutes for them to disappear into their new home.

Online Terri Yaki

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #36 on: February 26, 2024, 01:24:08 pm »
It is really easy to miss seeing a swarm.  If you are not near the hive when they leave(15-20 min.) or when they are landing on or leaving their temporary stop(again about 15 min.), you may not notice anything at all.  Also it only takes a few minutes for them to disappear into their new home.
You can say that again. Last year I was out in my garage and I heard a buzzing sound at the same time my phone went off with a text from my neighbor. He was alerting me to a swarm that he saw headed my way but by the time I got outside, it was gone.

Online Michael Bush

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Re: First swarm 2018
« Reply #37 on: February 27, 2024, 05:46:57 am »
Also it's difficult to tell if they have swarmed.  Sometimes it's obvious by the loss of bees, but the bees time everything so there are a lot of emerging bees at the time so the population often seems back to normal in a few days.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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"Everything works if you let it."--James "Big Boy" Medlin