# Swarm staging post observation and suggestion.



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

I have noticed that there is a progression in the preferred initial staging spot of swarms that issue from my hives. I have a variety of trees around my bee yard. Pine, Fir, Aspen, Elm, Cherry, Red Oak, and Bur Oak.
The first swarms of the year pick the pines, 100% of the time. Later as the season marches on they seem to prefer the Oaks, seldom do they choose another type of tree.
Knowing this, if I had an apiary that did not have trees around it, or few trees, or very tall trees that I didn't want my bees in, I would get a piece of pipe and a Pine bough. Later in the season I would use an oak bough.

I would sink the pipe in the ground and stand the pine bough in it. I would trim the lower 3 feet of the pine bough and leave the needles on the upper 3 feet. After a swarm issued from my hives and set up on the pine bough I would simply take it over to an empty box and shake it in.

I read this tip on here a few years back, but don't recall anyone offering it up recently so I thought I'd recycle it. Of course it is better not to have swarms in the first place, but this tip is cheap and worth a try. Please post here if the staging post tip works.


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## stan.vick (Dec 19, 2010)

I can testify that it works, on a trip through the smoky mountains I saw a sign advertising honey for sale, I asked my wife to turn in and we would try out this guys honey. After a 1/2 mile drive we found the place. This guy showed us videos of him catching swarms off a small pine that he had stuck in the ground in his bee yard, that was his lazy man's way of making increases.
His sourwood honey was good but his crystal white 100 proof "honey" was even better. when I left his place I found a sheriffs car parked on the first turn in the road, a few tense moments until I saw he didn't follow me, I took a swig and said ** that was close.
I now keep a small pine stuck in the ground in my bee yard in a pvc pipe, I will try the oak also this next summer.


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## burns375 (Jul 15, 2013)

Swarms always go to the large fence row of old pines in my yard. Any idea why they prefer pine? Easy clustering on pine branches, smell, etc?


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## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

Good question, I suspect that up here they prefer the pines at first because it is the only greenery available. Stan, that is a good story.


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## charles adams (Jul 16, 2011)

Down here it seems they like cedar since there are no pines. going to try the pvc pipe trick on a few tree hives in my neighbors lot and my bee yard.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Mine are usually in the cedars or the pear tree. Some lemongrass oil on a low branch helps. Some lemongrass oil and a bit of queen juice on a low branch is almost foolproof. Too bad I get busy and forget until the first swarm...


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Where I used to live, they would swarm to the soft persimmon tree most of the time. They went to the liquid amber tree once. If I had old bee hive boxes sitting out in the yard, they would go there as often or more often than the persimmon tree. They never did go to the pine tree or the deodar cedar tree, and never went to the oleanders.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

I tried hanging a black sock filled with sand but it didn't work.


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## Snookie (Dec 13, 2013)

RayMarler said:


> Where I used to live, they would swarm to the soft persimmon tree most of the time. They went to the liquid amber tree once. If I had old bee hive boxes sitting out in the yard, they would go there as often or more often than the persimmon tree. They never did go to the pine tree or the deodar cedar tree, and never went to the oleanders.


Huuummm Persimmon Tree's eh?

I got those:}


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Michael Bush said:


> .....Some lemongrass oil on a low branch helps. Some lemongrass oil and a bit of queen juice on a low branch is almost foolproof....


I'll try it! Thanks Michael


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