« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Down

Author Topic: My first swarm ever  (Read 11374 times)

0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
My first swarm ever
« on: March 23, 2014, 06:52:34 pm »
I just went and picked up, what the lady said on the phone, was a very small swarm. When I got there it was about 6 feet high and about as big as a basketball. Got it with no problem. Got home and put it in my empty top bar hive. Sat and watched them a little while. There were a good many bees flying around. One of the bees came out on the landing board and started fanning her wings with her but in the air, for about 5 minutes, and most of the bees that were flying around went in the hive. In just a few minutes, another did the same thing. I guess I now have my second hive, if they stay.
Logged

Offline G3farms

  • Bee Wrangler
  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 1724
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Concord, TN
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2014, 07:23:13 pm »
atta boy!!  Sounds like you got it going on. Time to put together more boxes!!
Logged
Bees are bees and do as they please!

.... --- -   -... . . ...   .-- .. .-.. .-..   .... .- ...- .   -.-- --- ..-   ... - . .--. .--. .. -. --.   .- -. -..   ..-. . - -.-. .... .. -. --.   .-.. .. -.- .   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .... . .- -..   .. ...   --- -.   ..-. .. .-. .   .- -. -..   -.-- --- ..- .-.   .- ... ...   .. ...   -.-. .- - -.-. .... .. -. --.

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6151
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2014, 07:35:17 pm »
If that was your last box, you will get 3 calls in one day.   MURPHY'S LAW

Better get building or buying ASAP.

PS. Congrats
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2014, 07:52:41 pm »
What G3 and Iddee said, get building!
Congratulations.  :)
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2014, 08:40:09 pm »
Dang Skeeter! That's Great! If I lived near you I would come help paint! Oh! And get a camera! We love pictures!  ;) 8)
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2014, 08:44:12 pm »
I`ve already got most of the lumber to build another one. I have everything but the top bar lumber.
I was just going to have one hive, but then I read you needed two, just in case one failed.
I built number two. Now I guess I`ll build number 3.
I really had no intentions of getting carried away, but OH WELL, it is fun.

Jen, I meant to take pics of the swarm, but I was so excited, I forgot.

Thanks all of you. Harper
Logged

Offline blueblood

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1768
  • Thanked: 39 times
  • Gender: Male
    • https://www.facebook.com/scottshoneyandlipbalms
  • Location: Central Indiana, USA
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2014, 08:47:59 pm »
Nice work!  It's too late, you will get carried away...and, please do.  8)
Logged

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2014, 08:52:19 pm »
That's what I said Harper! just one is fine with me  :)  But I have two now that I caught my swarm. But seriously, if I saw another swarm I'd throw on my jammies and slipper and go right after it!

Kinda thinking of learning nucs for sale, this way I could stay in the fun game and still manage just two hives.
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline blueblood

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1768
  • Thanked: 39 times
  • Gender: Male
    • https://www.facebook.com/scottshoneyandlipbalms
  • Location: Central Indiana, USA
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2014, 08:56:32 pm »
It's hard to resist Jen.  I have four friends now I have infected and they are all happy to receive any of my overflow.  And, sometimes, they send me some.  I will continue to grow.  The only thing that is a challenge is storage space for all the equipment, primarily honey supers.
Logged

Offline iddee

  • Administrator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6151
  • Thanked: 412 times
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: Sophia, N. C.
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #9 on: March 23, 2014, 09:37:11 pm »
"For sale, one well established top bar hive. $350.00."

Those words on Craig's list will have your phone ringing off the hook.

OOPS. I forgot. Phones don't have hooks any more.  :-[
Logged
“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”
― Shel Silverstein

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #10 on: March 23, 2014, 09:46:24 pm »
Iddee - Wow! That is crazy

Blue- That is the same problem here. Storage- while living in the city. And as well as, I have to be careful of lifting. As it looks now that i caught my swarm, I now have one double deep and one single deep. So when I split the double I'll have three. Gonna have to do some math here...
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline blueblood

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1768
  • Thanked: 39 times
  • Gender: Male
    • https://www.facebook.com/scottshoneyandlipbalms
  • Location: Central Indiana, USA
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #11 on: March 23, 2014, 10:11:11 pm »
I have four acres to solve the problem....just build a barn with a honey house.  Just can't build it right now... :'(
Logged

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #12 on: March 23, 2014, 10:26:12 pm »
Yea, I`ve got 5 acres, so really, what is the problem? Only money LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Logged

Offline Jen

  • Platinum Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10175
  • Thanked: 240 times
  • Gender: Female
  • Location: Upper California
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2014, 10:43:27 pm »
For Skeeters situation, you could go on craigs list and advertise that you need bee equipment!! and within range you would be willing to go and pick it up. There is the fact tho that you would have to clean and sterilize what you bring home.
Logged
There Is Peace In The Queendom

Offline Slowmodem

  • Gold Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1551
  • Thanked: 37 times
  • Gender: Male
    • http://gregsbees.blogspot.com/
  • Location: Ten Mile, TN
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2014, 11:21:59 pm »
Quote from: skeeterhawk1960 on March 23, 2014, 06:52:34 pm
I just went and picked up, what the lady said on the phone, was a very small swarm.

Hooray!!!   :goodjob:
Logged
Greg Whitehead
Ten Mile, TN
Beekeeping at 26.4 kbs

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #15 on: March 23, 2014, 11:24:29 pm »
Thanks Everyone.
Logged

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #16 on: March 25, 2014, 01:20:48 pm »
I installed the swarm I got, Sunday, in one of my top bar hives. I went ahead and moved the follower board to the rear, because the cutout I installed previously in the other TBH, didn`t seem to like it. Probably a mistake, but anyway, the swarm clustered about 2/3 of the way back from the entrance. I checked this morning and they were still there. They had a comb about as big as 3 fingers on the bar at which they were clustered. I moved that bar to the front at the entrance which is where it should have been anyway. Do you think it was because of no follower board? Did I do right by moving the bar? Any advice would be great. Thanks. Harper
Logged

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #17 on: March 25, 2014, 01:31:30 pm »
I think I have my answer.
Logged

Offline Perry

  • Global Moderator
  • Gold Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 7382
  • Thanked: 390 times
  • Gender: Male
    • Brandt's Bees
  • Location: Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #18 on: March 25, 2014, 02:45:48 pm »
Quote from: skeeterhawk1960 on March 25, 2014, 01:31:30 pm
I think I have my answer.

And you got it from a pretty smart feller too.  ;) ;D :)
Logged
"It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."      
Forum Supporter

Offline skeeterhawk1960

  • Regular Member
  • **
  • Posts: 59
  • Gender: Male
  • Location: SouthEast Georgia
Re: My first swarm ever
« Reply #19 on: March 25, 2014, 02:57:14 pm »
You are alright, Perry. LOL
Logged
Pages: [1] 2  All   Go Up
« previous next »