I got a swarm call this afternoon

[MuswellMetro]

I got a call about a swarm in an orchard, so looked at it this afternoon, i took my straw basket. spray and sheet, but thought bee dont swarm this time of year, it will be a tree bumble bee or wasps best

i was right bees dont often swarm this time of year, but they do in summer, this was a colony of bees that had built wild comb under a branch of a tree.. five or six bit of comb all the size of a 14x12 frame

so it is backto cut it off this weekend with frames, string,elastic bands brood box and ladder AND SOME HELP HOPEFULLY

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hey....good call for saving them. well done

 

[Charley]

I got a call about a swarm in an orchard, so looked at it this afternoon, i took my straw basket. spray and sheet, but thought bee dont swarm this time of year, it will be a tree bumble bee or wasps best

i was right bees dont often swarm this time of year, but they do in summer, this was a colony of bees that had built wild comb under a branch of a tree.. five or six bit of comb all the size of a 14x12 frame

so it is backto cut it off this weekend with frames, string,elastic bands brood box and ladder AND SOME HELP HOPEFULLY

Good luck. Hope you get the help and the bees appreciate the new home.

 

[Dadnlad]

I had a similar one in a large hawthorn bush a month ago that had capped brood, so a prime that had been there over a week

From a genetics point of view, is the fact that they've made their permanent home in a daft place an indication that they're 'not the sharpest knife in the box' ?
Or do they know more about global warming and next winter that we don't ?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I had a similar one in a large hawthorn bush a month ago that had capped brood, so a prime that had been there over a week

From a genetics point of view, is the fact that they've made their permanent home in a daft place an indication that they're 'not the sharpest knife in the box' ?
Or do they know more about global warming and next winter that we don't ?

If you've read 'honeybee democracy' you will see that it's not 'majority rules' that counts, but the whole swarm must agree to move to the new home (that would b*gger up the minority of the population - thirty percent I believe, who voted brexit ) So maybe they just couldn't come to a decision and set up camp on the spot?

 

[Dadnlad]

If you've read 'honeybee democracy'

It's on my Christmas list now

 

[MuswellMetro]

more about the Large Tree colony on wild comb hanging on a branch in orchard, we finalaly got good weather to cut it out, branch and all, and put it in a nuc. it was too deep and wide for a 14x12 five frame nuc box so we had to put it in a six frame 14x12 nuc box plus a 6 frame half super, all got in safely this evening without loosing more than a few bees

 

[tonyofarr]

I still can't believe you have had a swarm this late. Have you put it on foundation or drawn frames, or did you manage to attach the combs to frames?

You have definitely been getting better weather than us, it is pretty chilly for September (and wet) down here and the leaves are starting to turn. All the hawthorns are adorned with masses of red berries and our bees are acting as if winter is coming, most of the drones have been evicted.

 

[Heather]

Had one last week, left over from a swarm collection I think...But was hanging from a goal post, stopping the football game, so I gathered up. Once home,I confirmed no queen, icing sugared and added to a hive.

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

I still can't believe you have had a swarm this late. Have you put it on foundation or drawn frames, or did you manage to attach the combs to frames?

He didn't. And has said what he did! Have a more careful read.