Author Topic: swarm traps (Read 34865 times)

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #40 on:** February 18, 2014, 06:52:20 pm »

hehe.. I am with Iddee. I'd do the happy dance.

We did find a little bit of info on them online

Do tell! What did you find out?

Jen · « **Reply #41 on:** February 18, 2014, 08:32:57 pm »

Lazy ""We did find a little bit of info on them online, Do tell! What did you find out?""

Just that they have a black butt. Possible high bred.

Maybe I just want to know who's moving into the neighborhood.. ya know?

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #42 on:** February 18, 2014, 08:55:31 pm »

Don't know if this helps or not, but the VSH Gold queens I have ordered look JUST like that.. the Queen has a black tip on her abdomen. Only time will tell if her offspring look the same.

Jen · « **Reply #43 on:** February 18, 2014, 09:07:35 pm »

Hu? Okay, I'll look that up. Thanks Lazy

G3farms · « **Reply #44 on:** February 18, 2014, 09:33:00 pm »

I would be happy that I just caught a swarm, free bees are the best :-) :-)

I to get the black butted bees, but then again I run all mutts.

Jen · « **Reply #45 on:** February 18, 2014, 10:02:11 pm »

G3- so then, your hives have all different breeds of bees in them? they all live happily ever after together?

And what is your opinion about these black butted bees and how they get to my hive and I find several on the lid dead?

G3farms · « **Reply #46 on:** February 18, 2014, 10:57:31 pm »

I call them mutts because they have no lineage. All my bees come from swarm catches or cut outs. Have never bought a package of bees before. Have bought some queens but not much luck with them. I raise a few queens for myself so they are of the mutt class also. I do not treat my bees but do expect some dead outs, went into winter with 14 hives and a nuc. Have lost one hive due to queenless and one hive and the nuc due to small clusters (small late swarms). So far so good. I am not worried about genetic diversity since new bees from all over are being brought into my home yard. When splits are made the virgin queen is mating with drones from who knows where so the mutt line continues. Some keeps call them survivor bees but that is a whole nuther can of worms.

Jen · « **Reply #47 on:** February 18, 2014, 10:59:51 pm »

G3

And what is your opinion about these black butted bees and how they get to my hive and I find several on the lid dead?

G3farms · « **Reply #48 on:** February 18, 2014, 11:07:39 pm »

Some of my hives have the black butted bees in them and some don't. IMHO it is just a genetic trait that is coming out. The dead ones on the hive top is a good question, could be older bees that just could not make it back inside. Take a closer look at those dead ones and you just might find that their "fuzz" is just about all gone. Some call them robber bees also, and the lack of fuzzyness is from fighting and other bees pulling in them.

Jen · « **Reply #49 on:** February 18, 2014, 11:32:13 pm »

Mkay. But I don't have any in my hive. They are approaching tho. Just like last summer, they were getting inside, and some of my bees didn't like them, wrestling them down to the ground. I put a robber screen on and all was well the rest of the season, no more black butted bees. The net they were notorious robbers. I'm not going for it.

Thanks for all your imput everyone

Slowmodem · « **Reply #50 on:** February 19, 2014, 03:16:20 am »

Quote from: G3farms on February 18, 2014, 09:33:00 pm

I would be happy that I just caught a swarm, free bees are the best :-) :-)

I to get the black butted bees, but then again I run all mutts.

That's what I always say: There's nothing better than free bees!

jb63 · « **Reply #51 on:** February 21, 2014, 11:09:10 am »

Jen, I notice more of these black butted bees in the fall and winter.Watch and see if the spring bees look any different.

brooksbeefarm · « **Reply #52 on:** February 21, 2014, 11:58:18 am »

I don't think it's been mentioned on this post? I have found that if your swarm trap is to small, you can loose a good swarm.

I've had big swarms come to my 5 frame nucs, only to leave in a day or two, i now use old 10 frame deep hive bodies that i was going to burn, they have the smell inside that scouts look for (along with the LG oil) and a couple of dark comb frames, duct tape works good to cover cracks and holes on the hive body that has seen better days. Five frame nucs will work most of the time,But, when you loose those big swarms that will build up fast, replace the old queen and store enough stores to make it through the winter and make you surplus honey the next year :'( It's not a good feeling. JMHO

Jack

Jen · « **Reply #53 on:** February 21, 2014, 12:23:35 pm »

Brook- The first swarm I lost last year was one of those Big swarms. I was unskilled with the swarm thing at the time and watched it fly away. We jumped into the truck and headed in the direction it went, but alas, we couldn't find it. Big swarms like that are soo beautiful and alarming all at the same time. This year, because of this forum, and Scott, I'm more prepared for a swarm if I need to be.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #54 on:** February 21, 2014, 02:42:17 pm »

My traps are 8 frame mediums but are 7/12 deep instead of 6 5/8 I never saw a good reason to cut off the extra width on the boards.
I check mine about once a week, so that gives a big swarm time to start moving in, and say.. Oh Heck NO! and fly off..
When I do see one moving in, I leave it alone for two or three more days before retrieving them late in the evening or after dark. Haven't had one decide to vacate once I SAW them moving in..
Have the ability now, so I will get my minion to video me taking them down, and or moving in if I catch them in the act.

Jen · « **Reply #55 on:** February 22, 2014, 02:47:40 pm »

Lazy! A vid would be awesome!

skeeterhawk1960 · « **Reply #56 on:** March 05, 2014, 03:01:11 pm »

I live in South Georgia. Roughly 200 miles south of Atlanta. I put an add on my facebook page looking for swarms in my area. A friend of mine said they tagged me 5 minutes later that a lady had a swarm at her house that she wanted someone to come get. I didn`t get the message until the next day which was Mar 3rd. I called her and someone had came got them that day mar 2nd, so the swarm season has started in South Georgia.

efmesch · « **Reply #57 on:** March 05, 2014, 03:54:36 pm »

For several days now I've been seeing scout bees sniffing around and inspecting some of my empty supers-----so I thought the swarm season would soon be upon us.

Then I spoke to my grandson tonight--he already caught his first swarm of the season today---so we too are there.

Now with our lack of rain, we have to worry about what they'll live on.

Marty68 · « **Reply #58 on:** March 21, 2014, 07:29:30 pm »

Once bees have swarmed in a certain spot how likely is it for them to do it again in the same spot

apisbees · « **Reply #59 on:** March 21, 2014, 08:34:58 pm »

It is very likely the previous swarm has left it's phernons the bees secreated to attract all the bees to the swarm location

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