Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees => Topic started by: CpnObvious on May 06, 2014, 09:48:01 pm

Title: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: CpnObvious on May 06, 2014, 09:48:01 pm

I know this is a bit of a generalization, and I'm sure it's temperature-dependent (as well as other factors), but as a general rule when should I really start looking for a swarm?  I'm in Massachusetts near the New Hampshire border.  Thank you!

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: Bsweet on May 06, 2014, 09:56:35 pm

For my location I figure around May 1st plus or minus 2 weeks for the start and round July 15th for the end of swarm season. Jim

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: brooksbeefarm on May 07, 2014, 12:09:04 am

Same as Bsweet in my area. Jack

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: riverbee on May 07, 2014, 12:50:35 am

ditto for me, what jack and jim said, not earlier than may 1st, but through mid july.

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: Beeboy on May 07, 2014, 01:34:17 am

I have always heard this little saying and I assumed it was true every where.

A swarm in May is worth a load of hay. A swarm in June is worth a silver spoon, but a swarm in July ain't worth a fly.

I figured these months were the same every where but I never thought about it that much either.

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Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: Beeboy on May 10, 2014, 04:36:51 pm

Looks like I got another kill in this thread.

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Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: efmesch on May 10, 2014, 05:20:18 pm

With all the changes in bee behavior that have been showing up in these past few years of climate change, I wonder if anyone can make a reliable generalization other than to say, "Bees generally swarm whenever they feel like it (provided they're not in a winter cluster)."  :'(---- :laugh:

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: LazyBkpr on May 10, 2014, 07:25:41 pm

First charged queen cups spotted today, so swarming is about to start in earnest here..   If I had gotten my queens I would have already dealt with the issue..  Queens and nuc's were promised first week of May...   That didn't happen.. so it looks like splits will wait for queen cells to be built...  Then I will be re queening with my own queens later in the  summer

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: tefer2 on May 14, 2014, 11:58:58 am

Nature waits for no supplier, just manage your bees to keep them at home Lazy.

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: LazyBkpr on May 14, 2014, 03:28:25 pm

heheh.. indeed!
   Since I posted that... the poo has hit the fan...  Everything is incoming +     The plus means more than I expected...   Cancellations to the queen breeder prompted him to call me back and ask how MANY queens I wanted and how soon?
  I guess he has been contacting the folks to inform them their queens were about ready to ship, onlyu to be told.. What? No! All my bees died, I dont need queens.....
   Packages are incoming tomorrow, more than I ordered but I was informed thats what I was getting.. I'm OK with that..  Didn't expect them for another week or two..
   Nuc's... queens are laying, just waiting to make sure all is going to go well before picking them up...
   Cut outs have added more hives, and possibly swarms upcoming...  So I have gone from nthinking about doing hard splits to there being a possibility I dont have enough equipment..   I doubt that will happen though,, If forced into a corner, I will use all these shallow supers and comb honey supers I have been trying to sell. Not to mention the few remaining deeps I have could be cut down...    You NEVER know whats about to happen when it comes to bees and people.

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: efmesch on May 14, 2014, 03:36:53 pm

Quote from: LazyBkpr on May 14, 2014, 03:28:25 pm

....    You NEVER know whats about to happen when it comes to bees and people.

Do you mean to imply that people can be as unpredictable as bees? ;D
I never would have thought so.  :laugh: :laugh:

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: LazyBkpr on May 14, 2014, 03:46:36 pm

I was actually trying to be nice, but reading between the lines it says WOMEN and bees are very much alike..
    There are... Certain times you DONT cross the woman in your life, and there are certain times you KNOW better than to go look through that beehive.   As you get older you LEARN these things... But having LEARNED them very well, there are still times when your confidence is shattered..   Sometimes you can look back, and understand exactly what happened and why, other times it really doesnt matter how hard you try, you will NEVER find the reason. Give up, and go back to re building your confidence again while pretending that you OWN this woman/beehive...    WHY, do we put up with it? Because somewhere down the line, there is SWEETNESS waiting to be harvested!

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: tmrschessie on May 14, 2014, 04:08:39 pm

Very well put LBK.....Tom

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: brooksbeefarm on May 14, 2014, 04:15:03 pm

Lazy, you do have a silver tongue. :laugh: Jack

Title: Re: When do bees in your state generally swarm?
Post by: efmesch on May 14, 2014, 05:00:01 pm

Lazy, I thought you were a beekeeper and here it turns out that in reality you are a philosopher....and a wise one at that!!!!
Come to thinnk of it,  you're pretty good at both   8)