# Tough swarm catch...trying to decide when to head back.



## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Smoking serves no purpose on a swarm. They might not all move in until it warms up tomorrow. I would make two hikes. One to check if they had moved in, one to pick them up at dusk.


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## beesohappy (Jun 3, 2009)

I agree with odfrank


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## Ambassador (Mar 30, 2012)

I'm happy to report that the swarm catch was successful. Went back the next day to a box full of bees. Thanks for your advice!


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

odfrank said:


> Smoking serves no purpose on a swarm. . .


Odfrank, My hero, you have disappointed me. 

There is a purpose for smoke when catching a swarm. Especially where you have to shake a swarm from a height, or brush off from an area you cannot get your catcher box near. If you do not get all the bees on the first attempt, and the queen is in your box, stragglers will often ball up where the queen was. Smoke that area and they will not return to it.

If you can leave your box overnight, or for an extended period of time, those stragglers will eventually join the others in the box, but, if you have driven for some time, or just have to take them and leave, smoke the limb, wall, whatever and those stragglers will join the others faster.

cchoganjr


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

Cleo C. Hogan Jr said:


> Odfrank, My hero, you have disappointed me.cchoganjr


Sorry, first mistake I have ever made in my whole life. Sorry to let you down. There are exceptions to every generality. I see a lot of beekeepers smoking bees like they are doing a fumigation job and just wanted to point out that is not necessary for a swarm . I rarely have a need for that. Because I now vacuum almost everything, even cutouts just get a puff or two if any at all. Because the mites and CCD kill all the bees so fast they all seem to be very gentle domesticated offspring from packages these days.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

odfrank.... You are still my hero. 

I understood what you posted, and I agree with it. Just wanted to expand a little beyond the generalities, for any newbees that might be out there. Smoking a swarm does little good, since they are already full of honey, and have no way of filling up on honey, which is what happens when you smoke bees. Additionally, it will put the bees into flight, which is not what you want, when hiving a swarm. My remark was more toward smoking to keep the bees from returning to the area of the queen/swarm when time is not on your side.

cchoganjr


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