Bees Returning Annually

[mtnb]

I gave my swarm catching cards to some people at the local gas station. I stopped by yesterday and got gas and this one guy I know said that he gave my card to Jimmy, who also works there, and who is deathly allergic to bees. Jimmy was working so I spoke to him briefly. He mentioned that he has bees returning to the same spot above his front door every year and that he will call me when they start showing up again. I told him that most likely he has swarm pheromones above his door so the best thing to do would be to set up a trap now and attract them into it instead. I told him we should get this set up this week. Things are starting to bloom. Especially in town.

I had to head to work so I didn't get to ask many questions. I am not sure what he has done with the bees in the past that have come to his eave. Had they built comb in the past and he removed it? Did he spray them and that area? Was it a temporary swarm that just moved on? I don't know. What else should I ask him to get a better picture? Do I set up the trap exactly in the area where they have come to previously or is a close proximity good enough? Is there anything I can tell Jimmy to do after I hopefully catch this swarm to remove the pheromones which linger above his door?

Any and all advice welcome!
Yvonne

[KeyLargoBees]

They aren't going to swarm until you start to see drones....so if you keep an eye on your hive and start to see capped drone cells ....THEN its time to put out traps. If you put them out too soon you are just spinning your wheels and wasting swarm lure.

[mtnb]

Oh. I thought I read Jim say one time that you should get your traps set out at least a month in advance? I don't really have any lure other than lemongrass EO and a box that smells like bees and a frame or two of drawn comb. It's not far from me so if you think the EO lure will stop working in...a few days? a week?...I could easily stop by and add some more.

[KeyLargoBees]

Not sure why you would need traps up a month before drones...its not like they "pre scout"...but hell I may be misinformed. I am relatively new at this and that statement was based on my experience this year as well as what I have read so take it for what its worth ;-)


I had traps up down here in the keys in early January because people told me swarms can occur "year round" down here in the "tropics" but I didn't see or hear of any swarm activity until the drone population on my hives started to rise in late February....so I had mine out for 6 weeks prior and was re-baiting them every 2 weeks so it was a bit of extra work for me.

Might ask any local beeks you know what they consider "swarm season" in your neck of the woods.

[mtnb]

Everything here is really so localized. Butte, over the hill, is way behind our season over here. And in Whitehall they are farther along than me. From what I've heard, the swarms here occur mid May to beginning of June. I'll keep my eye on my drones. I'm excited to see how fast they're going to build up now. Oh, speaking of which, what does that mean when someone says about the drones' purple eye stage? Can you visibly see that through the capped cell?

[iddee]

They do pre-scout. I have had them leave a hive and go directly to a hollow tree a quarter mile away. Not always, but they will at times. It doesn't take long to stick a qtip dipped in LG oil into the hive every two weeks if it isn't far out of your way. Swarm season starts when the bees are ready, not by the calendar. I would get it up now.

You have to open the drone cell to see how far along it is, unless you know the day it was capped.

[KeyLargoBees]

I guess my issue with "work" is I put my traps up about 10 feet so I have to lug a ladder out to the trap site and then wrestle it out of the truck to the trap and get it level so I can climb it.....my work is self induced LOL....do what you must Yvonne and hopefully you will nab a few swarms for yourself...it is a rush to check your "trapline" and see activity ;-)

[Michael Bush]

Your understanding and terminology may not match his.  "Showing up" may just be a colony there getting strong enough that he notices...

[BeeMaster2]

The reason for getting them out early is not only for the scouts but you neve know when it is going to start. This year was late, mid March and it was a pretty warm winter. We have had years where they started in January. Normally starts right after Valentine's Day.
Jim

[mtnb]

So what can I tell Jimmy about how to get rid of those bee pheromones so they'll stop returning?

[BeeMaster2]

If they are going inside the building, seal up the holes.
If they are on the outside, you want to spray something in the spring that they do not like and covers up the queen scent.
I suggest he buys a bottle of Beequick and tell him to give it a light coating once every couple of week or so.
That is what I spray on the trees after a swarm to keep the bees from going back to it.
Jim