The unreachable swarm

[tedh]

Hey Everyone,
I've got a cluster hanging about 40 ft up a tree with no way to get to it. I first saw them Friday about 4PM. The problem is the wind. We've had sustained winds around 25 mph with gusts up to 40 for the last 3 days now. Its been tough to watch, poor bees up there holding on for dear life swinging wildly around.  Initially it appeared to be a good sized cluster, now they're spread out on the main branch and the numbers appear smaller. Im assuming the move gives them something more solid to latch on to.  There's no real point to this post, i just wanted to tell someone that I feel bad for them.  Thanks for listening.  Ted

[Jen]

Hi Ted, I feel sorry for them as well. I think the bees know that if they let go of the branch and try and fly to a new home, that they will get scattered apart, and also the potential to loose the queen is greater.

Have you tried setting up a swarm trap? I am not good a setting up swarm traps because I have 3 cedars behind my house and the swarms always land there. But there are many on this forum that will be good at helping explain swarm traps... and one of those is LazyBeekeeper 

[tedh]

Hey Jen,
Ive got a couple swarm traps around the yard, i was hoping they'd move in but i think like you said they can't get around in this wind.  Lower down its apparently not too bad as i had a swarm move into one of the traps yesterday, but up high it must be like trying to ride a whip. Ted

[Zweefer]

i have a bucket system that attached to the poles I use to get samples from tall grain bins or silos.

[tedh]

Hey Zweef,
I use an extendapole thing, originally purchased as an apple picker, and a ladder!  Hook the bucket handle on the little apple basket thing and i can get up 25 or 30 feet. Honestly, I've picked more clusters than apples with that thing.  Ted