# Swarm Today



## casper_zip (Apr 16, 2010)

Captured a nice swarm this morning in my small Holly tree. They were wrapped tightly around the truck, but I got my hive box as close as I could. Had to cut a few limbs. They were so tight around truck of tree, just scooped them up by the handfuls, carefully put them in the box. I had about 4 frames out, waited awhile, and eased the remaining frames on, brush rest of bees on in, and put top on box. All went well. This is my first swarm to capture this year, had a huge on about 2 weeks ago, they lighted in a pine tree too tall for me to reach, so after I came home from church, they had left the scene. Hope they make it, came from a strong hive, good stock, really had some money in them. 

Well, if they make it, I hope they do, and someday, may get them or some of the clan back. I need to get my traps set up quickly. This Holly tree is a favorite, I have seen several swarms land in it, will bait a hive and install maybe two, one on each side.

Best,

casper_zip


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Not one dang pic. Come on man your killing us northern folk.
I had a few like that over the years. What really worked for me is to place a frame of drawn comb next to the swarm. They will climb right on and fill the frame in minutes. Keep repeating until most if not all of the bees are in the super.
Did the same thing with a telescoping painters pole when they were way up almost out of reach.


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

Okay, I have one in my holly tree right now. I can't get a ladder on it because it it too small at the top, and I can't bend the tree over because it is too big. I threw a rope across some limbs and hoisted a swarm trap up to the cluster late this afternoon. Hopefully they will go in tomoreow morning. I put a small,fist sized piece of comb inside. They are still on the tree tonight. 

By the way, I did not think they were going to swarm and actually saw this event through the window of the house today at 12:30. It was neat to watch. Great queen...hope I can get her back.

Mr. Beeman, I have a telescoping pole. What do I need to do with the frame/comb and the pole? Attach the frame and then put it in the hive each time it fills up?


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Yes,,, exactly Scpossum. My best trick... take a quality paint roller handle, remove the roller part. Then rubber band or wire tie a frame (top bar) to the roller frame. Attach it to the telescopic pole.


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## casper_zip (Apr 16, 2010)

My swarm I got from my Holly tree and hived. They left that fine home, swarmed again, landed in a tall pine tree. I was unable to reach them, so they stayed, and alas, flew off to an unknown location. If I don't do anything else in my bee career, I have put a lot of them into the wilds. I am surrounded by good forests, etc. I always look while hunting, and also while riding my 4 wheeler in the woods. I just gotta put out lots of traps, I know there are feral bees around. They visit my hives often.

Best,

casper_zip


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

Mine didn't like the comb trick or the trap idea. The vacated the premise sometime between 1:15 and 4:30 today. Who knows, maybe they went back into the hive. Still a lot of traffic in it.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

I am sure no expert but one thing that has worked every time for me is to put a frame with open brood in with the swarm as soon as it is in the hive. I got my first hive of bees from a friend, they were a swarm from one of his hives. I brought them home and they left the hive twice. I got a frame with just a little open brood in it and they stayed the 3rd time. Since then I've put one frame of brood in each box with a swarm that I dumped, shook off a limb or watched walk into a hive and not one has left. Just shake ALL the bees off the frame before you put it in there. I don't know if it's because a swarm is more defensive or what but the first couple that I put in with nurse bees on the frame, looked like a massacre had taken place in front of the hive the next morning.

Now I'm talking about less than 10 swarms total so it's not a scientific finding or anything I can hang my hat on. There are plenty of folks on here who have much more experience than I do that may have an opinion about the brood being put in with a swarm.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Scpossum said:


> Mine didn't like the comb trick or the trap idea. The vacated the premise sometime between 1:15 and 4:30 today. Who knows, maybe they went back into the hive. Still a lot of traffic in it.


That's a first for me. It takes just a couple of minutes for the bees to load up the frame of drawn comb. Picky bees I guess. lol


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## Scpossum (May 4, 2014)

Now that I have time to think, I probably should have put drawn comb in the swarm trap. That might have worked. I think I will build a cardboard nuc that I can put on the extension pole for the next time.


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