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EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS #2756614
03/08/19 04:26 PM
03/08/19 04:26 PM
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Dale County, AL
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Groundhawg Offline OP
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EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS

Buddy had 1st and earliest bee swarm, ever for us, last month on Feb 17th. He also caught one of his last Wednesday the 27th and saved them before the cold weather. Today pulled into Dad’s yard were we have 8 hives and had a swarm pitched in an oak tree above some of the hives. This is the earliest I have had a swarm. Anyone else seen any this early?

Shook that swarm down and placed in a nuc with a frame of brood put up all our equipment, started to back down the driveway and there was another swarm in a bush only about 6 inches above the ground at the end of the drive. Easy to catch and put in a hive body. Thought I was doing rather well at swarm control, adding space and watching for queen cells but sure missed those. Of course just part of nature and how the bees reproduce and expand colonies but not what we want to happen.

Last edited by Groundhawg; 03/08/19 04:26 PM.
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2756779
03/08/19 07:56 PM
03/08/19 07:56 PM
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Marshall County
FurFlyin Offline
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Why are you having swarms? I'd think it's too early for a reproductive swarm.

Are they swarms or absconding?


If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: FurFlyin] #2756829
03/08/19 08:40 PM
03/08/19 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by FurFlyin
Why are you having swarms? I'd think it's too early for a reproductive swarm.

Are they swarms or absconding?



Would have thought so but we have loads of drones, and though 10 days ago I did not see any queen cells, Pate, my buddy who had the swarms last month found 8 queen cell in just one box. He has more than 60 hives and a three dozen nucs and getting to all takes time. Miss just one and you have a swarm. So there are still many bees in the 8 hives I have at Dads and still had lots of bees, though a couple seemed a little light so not absconding. Went in each hive before pulling a a frame of brood to place in the nucs that I put the swarms in order to help hold them and all the hive had bees. Pass three weeks of nearly summer weather seems to have made the girls crazy.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2757038
03/08/19 11:28 PM
03/08/19 11:28 PM
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somewhere around 112.
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slippinlipjr Offline
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somewhere around 112.
Earliest I ever seen a swarm was March 17th 2003. I remember that day vividly. I didn't know they were there. They tore me up and were head high off the ground on a pine limb. There's been a bunch of regular bees and bumblebees on the blueberries I have for the last two weeks. This cold snap shut em down for a few days but they were back out in full force today.


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Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2757910
03/10/19 09:06 AM
03/10/19 09:06 AM
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Marshall County
FurFlyin Offline
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I still think it's something weird. Either failing queens in the parent hive or something. I know you're a whole lot further south than I am but it's not "swarm season" yet. Of course I've got as much right to be wrong as the next guy. LOL


If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2758332
03/10/19 09:04 PM
03/10/19 09:04 PM
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Dale County, AL
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Groundhawg Offline OP
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Got two calls from folks today who had swarms. Unable to get them due to family and church time so gave them number for a couple other people in our bee club who were to help them. One, Danny, told me he had caught 3 swarms this pass week in Houston County.

Agree though, it is way, way earlier than we have had any before. Not a matter of right or wrong, just bees being bees. Have their own time schedule, I guess.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2760738
03/13/19 01:36 PM
03/13/19 01:36 PM
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Wade Offline
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Maybe the bees have been watching too much of the Weather Channel!

Seriously, I've seen a few swarms on BeeSource that happened north of us and I was thinking it was awful early. But, I had bees coming in with pollen sacs full 3-4 weeks ago. I have no idea where they even found it back then. My henbit and dandelions were not even blooming then.

Hey Brad: Do you still have any hives? If not, let me know and I will hook you up with some honey for all the past help. Guessing you kept a few just for the joy of a few stings. smile

I do plan on putting up some swarm traps this weekend after reading this post.


Don't give up, don't ever give up!
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Wade] #2760937
03/13/19 05:15 PM
03/13/19 05:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Wade
Maybe the bees have been watching too much of the Weather Channel!

I do plan on putting up some swarm traps this weekend after reading this post.


If you have time please share how you are making your traps, if any what kind of "bait"? Welcome any ideas as to where to place and others hacks to catch swarms. Since starting beekeeping, in 5 year now, have been able to catch several swarms that were pitched in trees, bushes, and 2 even on the ground but have yet to have a swarm settle in any of the traps that I have placed.

Thanks.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2761021
03/13/19 06:34 PM
03/13/19 06:34 PM
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FurFlyin Offline
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The best luck I had with swarm traps was a 5 frame deep nuc box, on top of a 5 frame deep nuc box. I put one frame of old comb in the top box, along with 4 frames with only starter strips of comb on them. No frames, no nothing in the bottom box. That leaves about 90% of the box empty. I've tried those within eyesight of a standard 10 frame box baited the same way and the 5 over 5 caught the swarms every time.

There is a scientific research paper out there somewhere, that says that the optimal size for a swarm trap is very close to the size of a 10 frame deep box. Bees like to build upward and downward so I think that's why the 5 over 5 worked better for me.

There is an attractant called Swarm Commander that works pretty good, but nothing will beat old comb. When using the SC, spray ONE spray on a paper towel, put in inside a quart ziplock freezer bag, press out all the air, then lay that bag, sealed, on top of the frames. A little goes a long, long way.


If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2761023
03/13/19 06:35 PM
03/13/19 06:35 PM
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Marshall County
FurFlyin Offline
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Wade, I didn't keep any. I'm done. Thanks!


If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: FurFlyin] #2761048
03/13/19 06:51 PM
03/13/19 06:51 PM
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Dale County, AL
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Originally Posted by FurFlyin
Wade, I didn't keep any. I'm done. Thanks!


Brad, about to feel the same way....... Our bees are in my Dad's yard and he called about 30 minutes ago that and told me we had our 3rd swarm in an oak tree in the neighbor's yard. If they are there in the morning will try to get them in a hive. But this is getting to be a pain. Well not really, just part of and another one of the joys of beekeeping.

Also thanks for the information about catching swarms.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2761065
03/13/19 07:07 PM
03/13/19 07:07 PM
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PDL, Fl
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timbercruiser Offline
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I know from just watching the polinator's work the hives I have been around it is about a 7 day a week, hot job. Ours are suppose to leave California today with 2 semi trucks of bees headed to NW Fl. I help them locate local places they can keep their bees till they leave in late June. I get about 6 cases of honey, more than I can give away for my trouble.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2761315
03/13/19 09:53 PM
03/13/19 09:53 PM
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Work not to bad right now, though it can get busy trying to "help" the bees. But SE Alabama mid-June to August in a bee jacket can sweat a gallon out of you in a hurry.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2765074
03/18/19 03:41 PM
03/18/19 03:41 PM
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A man called late, about 30 minutes before dark, on Saturday that he had a swarm in his yard. Did not get there yesterday but today made it just before noon. Got that swarm in a box, took home and added a frame of brood from one of my hives. That is 5 I have gotten since March 8th.

Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2767016
03/20/19 05:27 PM
03/20/19 05:27 PM
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Birmingham, AL
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Wade Offline
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Sorry guys, I have not been on Aldeer a lot lately. Too many irons in too many fires. Mainly soccer and turkey hunting. Work gets in the way too.

I built my traps based on the plans in this link: http://www.horizontalhive.com/how-to-build/swarm-trap-free-plans.shtml If memory serves I'm around 50 liters of space on my traps.

I modified the width a little to fit the material I had on hand at the time. Mine are five frames wide. I bait them with either Swarm Commander (worth the investment) or Lemongrass Oil. I wipe it around the sides with a Q tip and put a sandwich sized Ziploc with bait in it and cut slits in the bag so the odor can get out slowly. I have put them 15 feet up a tree by throwing a rope over a limb and pulling them up or I have put a 1 x 4 on the side and just drill a hole in the board and put a nail in the tree and put them up about head high. Both systems have worked. I put four new frames with foundation and one old brown comb with drawn foundation in the box. I have a spot near Gadsden that my buddy catches a swarm about once a week if we keep traps up. Somebody near him must have a bunch of unmanaged hives because he has literally caught swarms the day he put up the box. Note that I have learned that I need to move the swarm to a box after a few weeks. If you leave them in the trap too long they will build comb on the bottom of the frames and fill the whole box. Hate to make the girls work for nothing.

Brad: I will PM you when I extract and send you some honey to the shop. I owe you that for getting me in this mess. smile It looks like I'm going to get 7 out of 8 hives thru the winter. I just moved two to Lowndes County to try and concentrate on white clover. Others are at the farm. Supposed to have three Saskatraz queens coming in mid May. Hopefully they will take and do well.


Don't give up, don't ever give up!
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2767210
03/20/19 08:15 PM
03/20/19 08:15 PM
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Marshall County
FurFlyin Offline
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Sounds good Wade, but you don't owe me a thing, but I'll gladly pay for some honey. You'll love those Saskatraz queens.


If my people, who are called by my name, will 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. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Re: EARLY HONEYBEE SWARMS [Re: Groundhawg] #2770882
03/26/19 08:39 AM
03/26/19 08:39 AM
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The polinator said he said he will have about 8,000 hives coming he has to work. The company cut his workers down to just 5. He said it is going to be a long, hot summer.


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