Author Topic: Too many bees?  (Read 2512 times)

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Offline Wandering Man

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Too many bees?
« on: May 15, 2019, 03:34:03 pm »
I've captured 6 swarms so far this year.  All but three absconded, one of them I caught twice.  We now have two nucs waiting for me to requeen, and then they are sold.

We have three swarm traps around the house.  A flower pot type in the front yard, one made from old Cedar fencing in the far back yard, and one cobbled out of scrap plywood close to the house in the backyard.

The last five days I've been watching the cedar trap in the far back yard.  Lots of bees lots of interest.  Then 3 days ago, the plywood trap had some interest.  I figured it was the same swarm trying to make up their mind.  The flower pot in the front yard has had no bees in it.

I came home at noon today, to find bees moving into the one trap that no one had investigated: the flower pot.  That surprised me.  I figured the swarm finally picked the spot I was least likely to suspect.

Going into the back yard, I expected to see no action.  But both traps still have bees swarming around, looking interested.

I may end up with two more swarms / nuc to sell.  Surely not three more.

I've pretty much tapped out all of my friends.  I'm not sure what I'll do if I end up with two nucs. 

Anyone from the midwest or California want to drive down to Victoria Texas and pick up a nuc?  :)

Never argue with drunks or crazy people

Offline Wandering Man

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Re: Too many bees?
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2019, 08:44:03 pm »
Okay, just a couple of hours later and all is quiet in the other 2 swarm traps. It must have taken the bees a while to figure out momma wasn’t there.

FWIW, the flowe pot style trap had no used comb, and had not been sprayed with Swarm Commander.
The pine hive had a swarm recently and still had residual comb attached to the roof.
Both the pine and cedar hives had old comb and the smell of swarm commander could still be faintly perceived.

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Offline neillsayers

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Re: Too many bees?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2019, 11:41:22 pm »
Been a lot of swarming in this neck of the woods too, WM.  :)
Neill Sayers
Herbhome Bees
USDA Zone 7a