"Aaron Morris" wrote:
> The Brits, for whom I have the utmost
> respect, will mash up old comb and put them in a sack in the new equipment
> where they want to keep a swarm.  They call it a "Swarm bob" or some such
> thing (I'm sure I'll be corrected if I have it wrong).

A Bee Bob is mentioned in old literature (please don't ask me where!) and
was hung in the apiary.  The idea was that swarms would cluster on it,
rather than some inaccessible place like the top of a 40' tree.  Not sure if
it works - has anyone tried it?

Agree totally that smearing honey is very bad practice; apart from disease,
it could also start robbing.

I wonder if the swarm was in fact a cast and the queen had not fully mated -
these will often fly on the next day.  The only time that I have known a
prime swarm to depart was when it was installed during the day and the hive
was very hot, having been stood in the blazing sun for a couple of hours.

Peter Edwards
[log in to unmask]
www.stratford-upon-avon.freeserve.co.uk/

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