Do you ever get to the point you dont get swarms anymmore?

[Yankee11]

With 37 hives now. I am beginning to think I need to lay off catching swarms or doing cut outs/trap outs.

Don't get me wrong, I love catching swarms, but I am just feeling like I want to spend my time now in my bee yards, grafting and raising queens, starting nucs and harvesting Honey. I don't really need the swarms now. I could go out and start 37 nucs tomorrow if I wanted more bees. Any time I am out getting swarms is time I could be spending grafting queens, making up nucs etc.

While catching swarms is really fun, grafting queens and watching then grow from grafting to building up a nuc was really cool to do.

I am still going to get my State license so I can charge for cut outs. At least make some extra income.

Has anyone else come to this point?

[G3farms]

I will catch a swarm anytime I am free enough to run out and get them. Have left work many times to shake them in a box, go back to work and then come back and get them later.

Cut outs are about the same, I name my price and time and if the customer doesn't like that then I pass on it.

Sounds like you need to make some splits and sell some nucs or super up for honey.

[LazyBkpr]

State License Yankee??    that is a scary thought...   Once again, I am glad I live where I do..
    For me removals are a supplement to the income, more bees to organize and sell on top of what is made for the removal. IF they turn out to be salvageable.  I am making the push for 50 hives thinking that will be where the line is drawn in the sand..    50 hives...   some for production, some for splitting to sell as nuc's..   Swarms cut outs etc are an added bonus.. so I may have 60 hives at one point, that just means I can sell an extra ten.  I guess there is really no line in the sand for removals as long as I can sell them easily.

[Yankee11]

State license-
Yea, I can do cutouts for free all I want, but in order to charge I have to pass a test, go to a class and have 150 grand liability insurance. It's all free accept for the insurance. The insurance makes since to me. If I mess a house up, it's not the homeowner I have to worry about. It's their insurance co.

[Jen]

Hey Yankee    Do you know what the cost of that 150 grand would be annually? just curious ~

[Perry]

State License Yankee??    that is a scary thought...   Once again, I am glad I live where I do..
    For me removals are a supplement to the income, more bees to organize and sell on top of what is made for the removal. IF they turn out to be salvageable.  I am making the push for 50 hives thinking that will be where the line is drawn in the sand..    50 hives...   some for production, some for splitting to sell as nuc's..   Swarms cut outs etc are an added bonus.. so I may have 60 hives at one point, that just means I can sell an extra ten.  I guess there is really no line in the sand for removals as long as I can sell them easily.

My thoughts exactly. 

[tmrschessie]

I am just getting back into bees after beeing gone for a while. We were up to 35 hives, just for pollination of our alfalfa and fruit trees. And  of course for the honey sales. Then we moved and I lost all of them. I decided swarms etc would be my main source as I am only going for 10 hives or so this go around. The bees were hit with CCD and what ever else they spray on crops ... well it is slow going but I should be up to at least three this year. It is still fun and keeps me busy. I will keep at it till I can't. Forgot how interesting the bees are. Tom

[Yankee11]

You guys are probably right. I am probably just feeling this way right now because of all the swarms I have caught in such a short period
of time. Onec the calls die down I'll probably be missing them.

Kinda like thinking about eating right after being at a buffet 

[G3farms]

Nope, once the swarm calls die down then the cut out calls start to come in.

Keep building boxes 

[efmesch]

My limit on collecting swarms is determined by the available equipment.  Collecting them is almost as enjoyable as eating (or selling) honey. 
In principle, the swarms can always be put to use to strengthen any hive that needs it.  My problem is that I can't stand the issue of eliminating one of the queens.  Unless a queen has really proved herself to deserve the "axe" (and that is infrequent), I find it hard to muster up the gall to do her in.

[G3farms]

Ef, I feel the same way on killing a queen, just can't hardly bring myself to do it. If I can find enough frames of brood and honey I just make a split for her.

[Yankee11]

Jen,

My beek buddy just got his and he got a 300 grand liability policy for 100 bucks a year.

He just completed his 4th cutout in 4 days. All paid cutouts.

He is charging 250.00 for the first 3 hrs then 50 bucks and hour after that. And he is nor doing the repair after that, that price is just for bee removal.

He has 8 more waiting to look at and give bids on. He is waiting on me to get my license.

[blueblood]

I have felt the same way.  You will most likely miss the calls but like G said, there will be cut outs.