# stop swarming bees



## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

Can't stop a swarm once they come out of the hive; unless the queen doesn't join them, for whatever reason. Next time, just stand there and marvel at the honeybee's age-old way of propagating the species.







If you want to keep them from swarming keep that brood nest open by inserting empty frames in between the full ones. Use the search function here to learn more about that. Search 'open brood nest', etc. I have been keeping a wordperfect document of information about this same topic. So if you want to read what I've saved as important swarm prevention and small cell info, just send me a private message with your e-mail and I'll send it to you.


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

duplicate post

[ January 31, 2006, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: kenpkr ]


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

duplicate post 

[ January 31, 2006, 11:09 PM: Message edited by: kenpkr ]


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## kenpkr (Apr 6, 2004)

duplicate post

[ January 31, 2006, 11:08 PM: Message edited by: kenpkr ]


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have never tried it, but they used to beat pots and pans and drums and they said that would settle a swarm. I think a sheet of metal that makes a sound more like thunder might be more effetive, but I've never tried it. I suppose it would have to loud enough for the bees to sense the vibration to be of any value, if it works at all.


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

The best acvice I can think of right now is to place a vacant hive or swarm trap in the vacinity of your hive, since you can't stop them maybe they will move in the vacant hive for you!


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

As MB says, many old beekeepers believe a loud noise, like beating on metal will do it. I had one in the air last year and the only thing around was a 2 foot 2x4 and my extractor sitting upside down. I did beat on it and they did land, but is that what made them land, or would they have landed anyway. Your guess is as good as mine.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Michael Bush: "I have never tried it, but they used to beat pots and pans and drums and they said that would settle a swarm."

Hi, my name is Grant and I can openly admit that I bang pots. 

In the hopes of "settling" a swarm, a swarm in the midst of flight, I've banged a few pots in my day--didn't help, but I have friends who have tried it and it worked for them.

Or maybe something else worked to settle the swarm as they senselessly banged those pots. Supposedly, it only works when the swarm is in flight.

This idea of banging pots is a long-forgotten practice called "tanging." Back in the old days, if a swarm landed on your property, you could claim it as yours. If your bees swarmed to the nieghbors property, the neighbors were considered to be the new owners of those bees.

"Tanging," or banging those pots, was the way you could legally hop a fence and chase the swarm, basically communicating to everyone within earshot that this was your swarm, banging a pot (or whatever was handy to make a noise) signalled to the world that you were laying claim to this swarm, and further, you were trespassing in a non-offensive way in hopes of retreiving your swarm.

And after a few hundred yards, as you followed with a banging pot, the swarm settled. Which led many people to say, "Hey! It works!"

Cause and effect? I doubt it. Bees don't have ears. Do they detect vibrations? It's pretty far to pick those up, especially with the whirring sound of a swarm in flight.

Pure coincidence? A mutually exclusive occurence between a banging pot and the swarm settling? Very likely. But lots of swarm chasers try it and the swarms settle.

There was supposed to be another practice of "drumming" a log or hive body to intice the bees to come in.

Now that is one thing I won't admit to doing.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## BULLSEYE BILL (Oct 2, 2002)

You would have better luck putting one of Jim's tin foil hats on and assuming the yoga position humming loudly  

Now the surefire way to bring a few of them down is to fire about ten rounds of #9 one ounce 12 ga loads into the thick of the swarm, now you won't get all of them, but you are sure to get a few down.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

This almost mimics the proposal I made on organicbeekeepers. I thought that someone should get a grant to study the effects of loud noises on beeheives. 

Stand beside your colony with your shot gum and fire off a round and report the colony reaction. I'd do it myself, but I don't own a shot gun. The staple gun is the only firearm that I have. I should get training and a permit for that too.

Please report your results. I have a hunch of what will happen, but I don't want to influence that outcome.


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

"shot gum"

I don't own one of these either  , But I do have a shotgun. Never tried gettin them thar swarms thatta way  , shore might be interesting to try though    .


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## xC0000005 (Nov 17, 2004)

I have witnessed the "pots and pans" method of "moving" a swarm - it was fascinating. I doubt ONE person banging a pot or pan would do anything though.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I tried one of Jim's foil hats. They're wonderful, waterproof and no one knows you didn't shower that day. I recommend them for shopping trips, overnight conventions, and if you're stuck with a bunch of potatoes and a hot oven, they easily convert to culinary objectives.

He also recommended swinging a dead skunk on the end of a rope to get rid of varroa mites in response to mite solutions in another forum. I tried that too, but found out later I was swinging it clock-wise when you need to swing it counter-clock-wise. I still had mites after my clock-wise treatment. 

I hear clock-wise only works on small hive beetles. It must have worked. So far, no signs of small hive beetles in my bee yards. And it must have some response in dogs because mine grows at me everytime I give my yards a treatment.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Okay, on a more serious note: Is there any way to drive bees out of a cavity with noise and/or vibration that would incite the entire colony to vacate?

I get a number of calls from homeowners in nice brick homes to remove bees from wall cavities, or someone with a lovely, mature tree who wants the bees out, but doesn't exactly like the idea of killing them.

I tried some of the bee-go, bee quick, immitation almond extract with limited success of chasing some of the bees out. Mostly I get the former on myself and my van stinks for weeks.

Any ideas?

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Drumming and smoking both will drive SOME of the bees out, but nothing I know of will drive all the bees out. But then I haven't tried Bee quick. Drumming is just doing a tap tap tap on the hive (or the inside wall of the brick house).


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

Blow repellent into the cavity with a soaked
cloth placed over the hose nozzle of a bee-vac,
and the hose plugged into the exhaust port of
the bee-vac (or shop vac).

The trick is to find a point *in* the
cavity, but at the far end of the hive from the
entrance. This may require the use of a infra-red
spot thermometer on an otherwise chilly night
to find the extent of the colony, or it may
require some work to remove a few bricks and peek
with a dental mirror.

Cleaning out the comb is another problem, perhaps
solved by dropping in a goodly number of wax
moth larvae.

There simply is no "magic" to the process, one
drives out as many bees as possible, or uses
a cone escape to force the colony to slowly
depopulate, and then, once enough bees are
removed, one opens up the wall and removes
the comb. Some would say that the direct
approach would be best, to open up the wall
and simply do the job directly.

Every removal is different, so there are no
possible "solutions" unless photos are offered
to allow examination. Only general advice is
possible.


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## iddee (Jun 21, 2005)

>>>Okay, on a more serious note: Is there any way to drive bees out of a cavity with noise <<<

On a not so serious note, yes, there is a very effective way. I think it is called "implosion".


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I was serious, too. I don't think that bees can hear. So, the corolation between tanging bees and their landing is coincidence, not cause and effect. Oh, opinion of mine.


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## xC0000005 (Nov 17, 2004)

Sqkcrk - In the case where I watched someone "move" a swarm with pots and pans, the most interesting thing was not the swarm - it was the parent hive. They were noticably agitated, and according to the local beekeeper, that was a common effect.

Then again, I believe that belief, not fact drove most of their actions, and that their beliefs were tailored to match the normal swarm behavior.


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I've driven swarms down several times banging on my smoker or the side of my truck with my hive tool. I think the sound vibations may mimic thunder causing the bees to respond to safety. Just my thoughts though, I may be in need of serious medical attention.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Stand beside your colony with your shot gum and fire off a round and report the colony reaction. I'd do it myself, but I don't own a shot gun. The staple gun is the only firearm that I have. I should get training and a permit for that too.

I think between Bullseye and I we could probably scrounge up a firearm.  But I have no doubt they will react.

>I don't think that bees can hear. So, the corolation between tanging bees and their landing is coincidence, not cause and effect. Oh, opinion of mine.

What is the difference between sensing vibration and hearing? Just a matter of acuity, not a matter of not sensing it. If you don't believe bees sense vibration just pop an inner cover and listen to the excitment from the pop, or hit the side of the hive.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

xC0000005, whose belief, the bees or the persons?


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## xC0000005 (Nov 17, 2004)

The beekeepers opinion, not the bees.

(Edited, response was way too long, and probably not appropriate for this forum.)

[ February 01, 2006, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: xC0000005 ]


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

>The staple gun is the only firearm that I have. I should get training and a permit for that too.

I can help with the staple gun.. proper use, improper use, etc. Never point your staple gun at something you don't intend to shoot. Never draw your staple gun if you're not prepared to use it. If you don't conceal your staple gun, you don't need a license- at least here in Maine.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Thanx, xC


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## jaydee (Oct 12, 2004)

My Granddad who kept bees had told me about him catching a swarm that was flying over while plowing a field(Mule) He clanged two plows together and they landed. I had never had this chance to try this until about 3 years ago. We were eating out in the back yard and a swarm came over. I ran to shed and picked up and old meat hook about 18" long and an ax head. I clanged them together and the bees land on a barbed wirefence with some blackberry vines. This was the most remarkable thing I have ever seen. The bees turning slightly
and getting in a tighter and tigher funnel and landing. Before this I had always wanted bees but never had taken the first step. This is what started me in keeping bees.


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## Ronnie Elliott (Mar 24, 2004)

MY mentor who has now passed on told me of bees swarming out of his hives in his backyard. He said he would pick up a water hose and start spraying water over the top of them, they then would land into an empty hive box. I never have had the experience, my neighbors of scared of bees, and even told me they spray the flowering shrubs in there yard with wasp & hornet killer. She is a school teacher, and said it was her shrubs, and she could do as she pleased. I had a short sleeve shirt on, I walked down & back up the row of shrubs with my bare arms & hands in the shrubs to try to educate them that the bees were not interested in stinging while out foraging. They are nice neighbors, her three children graduated as valedictorians, go figure


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