forgeblast
Elite Member
Whew what a rush!!!
I had three swarm traps/hives ready for today.
I run my hives using the warre system.
I was out spraying my crep planting (conservation tree and shrub planting area to naturalize and control run off(its about 2 acres) when I though I heard that sound, you know the sound. I started looking around and there was the 1st swarm came in and was just all over the place like a broken up cloud. I dropped by back pack sprayer and brought down a hive and then grabbed the ladder and threw another hive on it. I also spashed each hive with some lemon grass oil. Came back and there was only a few bees left could not find the main mass. Then I went back to spraying and when I was finished I decided to put together a swarm bucket. So I took a broken paint roller and drilled a hole in the bucket and had a swarm bucket.
I also this time grabbed a piece of metal (thin metal from a hot water heater shell, I was cutting it into squares to make signs for a hiking trail we are putting in on our property for our 3 year old.
I went back to the same spot and hear them so I kicked the metal good and saw them go into a huge apple tree, at least 25-30 feet in the air. Well I couldnt reach them so I took a hive and stuck it in the apple tree hoping they would find it.
Then I saw them breaking up so i followed them a bit and then kicked the metal. This time about 15 feet in the air in another apple tree. (I am trying to bring them back inot fruit but have not been able to prune them yet). I grabbed a 6' ladder and my bucket. I hit the metal again, and then grabbed the first batch they dropped in and I sprayed them with sugar/water. I then dropped them into a hive and put my cover and top over them. I am sure I grabbed a queen there was a big bee and she was surrounded by a few other bees and now they are staying in the hive.
I look back in the tree and I swear that swarm grew. I get the third hive and go back up the tree, I get another huge group of bees that drop right in the bucket and then i spray them and put them in the hive. I am now waiting for some new sugar water to cool before I feed them.
But I swear that swarm is just as big. When bees swarm do they have mutilpul queens with them?
Btw only stung once
1st swarm hive
2nd swarm hive doesnt look like many but I was able to get a lot in the box.
Swarm in tree
Apple tree swarm trap/hive
tools of the day
bucket and handle
ladder and metal
but then I had to update my post because
nope did not get the queen I got a drone instead. I went back the bees were back in the tree. I went back to the house and got an extension pole and went back at the swarm.
Here is where I tell you there are two ways to learn by doing and not doing. I learned a lot today but all by not doing.
First I went back up the ladder and had the bucket under the main mass and pulled down, to bad the bucket was stuck and I pulled the old paintroller right out of the bucket.
Yep I had a bucket bomb of bees coming right down at my ladder. Lucky for me I fogot to fully zip my suit up and was stung on the lip, neck, stomach, and arms. All while trying to get out of the ladder/tree. Hit the ground and its all mud, fell in the mud. Finally got away from the tree and decided to call it a day. I made them mad enough and I need a shower, and to pull some stingers out.
What a day.
I learned
1. make sure the bucket is connected to the pole and it cannot slide off
2. zip the suit when before you climb the ladder
3. mud takes the stingers out pretty good.
4. Dont mess with the bees when they are warm and its humid.
5. take the pole saw to cut little branches out of the way of the bucket
So today was a "fun" day but I did learn a lot.
Here is the ladder set up you can see where I had some fun.
swarm is up near the top
my mud bath
I had three swarm traps/hives ready for today.
I run my hives using the warre system.
I was out spraying my crep planting (conservation tree and shrub planting area to naturalize and control run off(its about 2 acres) when I though I heard that sound, you know the sound. I started looking around and there was the 1st swarm came in and was just all over the place like a broken up cloud. I dropped by back pack sprayer and brought down a hive and then grabbed the ladder and threw another hive on it. I also spashed each hive with some lemon grass oil. Came back and there was only a few bees left could not find the main mass. Then I went back to spraying and when I was finished I decided to put together a swarm bucket. So I took a broken paint roller and drilled a hole in the bucket and had a swarm bucket.
I also this time grabbed a piece of metal (thin metal from a hot water heater shell, I was cutting it into squares to make signs for a hiking trail we are putting in on our property for our 3 year old.
I went back to the same spot and hear them so I kicked the metal good and saw them go into a huge apple tree, at least 25-30 feet in the air. Well I couldnt reach them so I took a hive and stuck it in the apple tree hoping they would find it.
Then I saw them breaking up so i followed them a bit and then kicked the metal. This time about 15 feet in the air in another apple tree. (I am trying to bring them back inot fruit but have not been able to prune them yet). I grabbed a 6' ladder and my bucket. I hit the metal again, and then grabbed the first batch they dropped in and I sprayed them with sugar/water. I then dropped them into a hive and put my cover and top over them. I am sure I grabbed a queen there was a big bee and she was surrounded by a few other bees and now they are staying in the hive.
I look back in the tree and I swear that swarm grew. I get the third hive and go back up the tree, I get another huge group of bees that drop right in the bucket and then i spray them and put them in the hive. I am now waiting for some new sugar water to cool before I feed them.
But I swear that swarm is just as big. When bees swarm do they have mutilpul queens with them?
Btw only stung once
1st swarm hive
2nd swarm hive doesnt look like many but I was able to get a lot in the box.
Swarm in tree
Apple tree swarm trap/hive
tools of the day
bucket and handle
ladder and metal
but then I had to update my post because
nope did not get the queen I got a drone instead. I went back the bees were back in the tree. I went back to the house and got an extension pole and went back at the swarm.
Here is where I tell you there are two ways to learn by doing and not doing. I learned a lot today but all by not doing.
First I went back up the ladder and had the bucket under the main mass and pulled down, to bad the bucket was stuck and I pulled the old paintroller right out of the bucket.
Yep I had a bucket bomb of bees coming right down at my ladder. Lucky for me I fogot to fully zip my suit up and was stung on the lip, neck, stomach, and arms. All while trying to get out of the ladder/tree. Hit the ground and its all mud, fell in the mud. Finally got away from the tree and decided to call it a day. I made them mad enough and I need a shower, and to pull some stingers out.
What a day.
I learned
1. make sure the bucket is connected to the pole and it cannot slide off
2. zip the suit when before you climb the ladder
3. mud takes the stingers out pretty good.
4. Dont mess with the bees when they are warm and its humid.
5. take the pole saw to cut little branches out of the way of the bucket
So today was a "fun" day but I did learn a lot.
Here is the ladder set up you can see where I had some fun.
my mud bath
