Swarms 2014

Collected 2 swarms this week one today behind sewage works in Ashford and the from smeeth Ashford and he was a beekeeper himself

3 calls to the Rose Cottage Swarm Hotline so far this year :-

1) Lady with bumblebees moved into bird nest box - persuaded her to try leaving them alone.
2) Chap with swarm taken residence inside bedroom cavity wall - "been there about a week, loud buzzing" - wasn't very keen on getting builder in to take wall to pieces - oh dear.
3) Lady with swarm in hedge outside her house been there for a day or so. Rocked up 30 mins later and they had just taken off for a des-res inside the neighbor's flat roof extension/shed - no-one at home there to speak to so headed back home - oh well.

Spoke to a lady at a show on Monday, "I've got bees in my bird box"

"They are Bumble Bees". Showed her picture.

"Oh no they are much smaller than that, they are definitely honey bees"

Went round yesterday, surprise surprise, Bumble Bees.

"They look a lot bigger now than they did last week!!"

I picked up two from the same tree this afternoon, both medium sized, hived them in nucs this evening. Have called our association swarm officer to see if anybody wants them but no answer, if you'd like them then send me a PM. Collection tomorrow evening, would like frames & foundation in exchange (hived on 5 frames, they may not need them all!) and deposit for the nuc boxes, which need to be returned within a week.

In Oxford, OX4.

Collected a swarm from my neighbour's garden (from one of my hives). The virgin queen perched on my shoulder, just out of sight, piping, so I knew she was there. Partner in crime put her into a queen clip. All safely in a poly nucleus.

A swarm just arrived in a bait hive on top of the garage.
Not sure the other half entirely appreciated the drama of thousands of bees arriving.
May have to be moved to out apiary quite quickly!

Another call to the R C swarm hot line this morning.

Went down to a large place near Ross - bees had decamped about 5 mins previously from a very nicely topiaried hedge to a chimney about 80 feet up.

Very pretty sight - hopefully they will suceed.

Just went for a lunchtime visit to my new site and found the tail end of a swarm taking up residence in my bait hive.

As you can see its a standard National at approx 2m high on top of an old farming trailer with the entrance facing south-ish. Inside is 1 old empty frame + rest foundation + few drops lemongrass oil.

Yesterday evening there was a lot of scouts at the hive so i was hoping the swarm would arrive today. Had a quick peek under the crown board and there was approx 5 or 6 seems of bee's with some still in the air and on the front.

PS- checked my hives and its not one of mine......

Collected my first swarm today. Got a phonecall from a woman who was stuck in her office because the yard suddenly filled with bees. arrived and there was a swarm at the top of a nearby sycamore tree. after several attempts, drafting some help from another beekeeper and cutting some branches we got it.

Went out to collect a swarm from a golf club yesterday. By the time I had got there they were firmly ensconced in a wall cavity. Queen well out of reach. After taking down ceiling and wall panels found the blighters. Sprayed air freshener around to make life uncomfortable.

Today got a call to say that there was a lot of activity (this morning). By the time I got there there were just a few bees looking all around.

Was just about to leave and said to the manager that he should be all right now. At which point there was a loud buzzing from a tree behind us and a huge swarm rose into the air. It drifted of over the club house and over into a field. Phew!

Bee problem solved Swarm lost

Very relieved manager.

got one in a bait hive at my house picked 2 up 10 mile away last night and 2 more today .. no more .. please im running out of equipment FAST

Swarms

Hi To all: Well swarm season here in Tennessee has been in full swing and I have got 2 of them I think both came from my hives.I have only had them since April 5 th and they were 4 frame nucs.
Last swarm landed in neighbors yard in a small Dog wood tree.He came over knocking on my door and said he had bees in his front lawn and wanted me to help get rid of them.He said he attached them with a pressure washer but that didn't work!UGH I went and looked bees were everywhere and mad as could be.I told him I would come back in a hour and get them.They were easy to get and I sat thre trap box on the ground after getting the small clump in the tree and soon the bees on the ground started into the box by night fall all in the box who were not killed with the washer.Well I guess my bees are clean any way since they were washed!!

Finally got to check my bees at the out apiary after an enforced two week absence, only to be met by a roaring sound and a huge cloud of bees congregating in next door‘s apple tree. Quick shake into a cardbox box followed bytransfer into a hive then left alone to catch stragglers. getting better at this swarm catching! Marigold type gloves not recommended for swarms as i now have a popeye forearm where a number got trapped in the cuff, ouch!

Swarms

In a swarm on Thursday , opened one of my hives and out they came amazing .
Not interested in me settled on the hedge nearby so I collected them, been to see them this morning and they are there my favourite queen

Yes, standing in the middle of a swarming colony is an amazing experience even if it issues from one of your own boxes.

Hi All

2 bait boxes in my garden , one arrived Wednesday & another Thursday to my amazement.

Will be rehoused over the weekend

Five calls so far all white tailed bumbles. Dreaming of a real swarm.lol

you would be sick of them iff u lived near me picked one more up 2 night.. that's 7 this week. all from the same area.. not mine

Well a flood of 2 cals to the RC swarm hot-line today.

Went to the first near Monmouth - handily situated swarm in a a stout hawthorn hedge at the edge of a field - access via a well grown nettle patch. Knocked most of them into a box and then tipped them into a traveling nucleus - left at about 4 pm with nuke propped open so all stragglers could reunite themselves with the colony.

Got back home to a call from a lady the other side of Ross. Rocked up at about 7pm after cooking the tea - cleaning house etc to find a large swarm happily cling to a large damson tree trunk. Wedged a box above it and tried to smoke them up into it with small success - turned the box right way up and brushed some more off the trunk. 2 hours later had one sting on the arm approx 50% of bees in a box on the ground and the rest mostly still clinging to the tree trunk. Will phone for sit rep tomorrow.

Drove back to Monmouth and collected the nuke box - phew.

Two swarms and two non-bee keepers needing some advice.

Hi, we are really needing some advice if someone in the bee keeping world could help us.

This morning we had a huge swarm of what we think are honey bees over our chimney and also our neighbours. they have come down into our neighbours chimney and their bedroom was absolutely full of them. They seem to be gathering on the outside/inside of our chimney though which is strange. After getting all the windows open to let them out there seem to be a lot dying, also there bedroom and lounge have become very highly perfumed.

Within hours we now have a mass of bumblebees going into our bathroom air vent. Two masses of bees in one house is strange in one day?? We can't get anyone to help us over the weekend so we are looking for some advice as to what to do. Are we right in thinking bumblebees can be left alone and what do we do with the other bees?

Thank you in advance, Helen and James