Yesterday we went out to the apiary to check for capped honey only to witness a hive starting to swarm.  It was a good hive so I was dismayed to see how high the bees were swarming, one of the tallest pines, and a good amount of the incoming bees from other hives (I have about 20 hives) were being caught up with the swarm.  I then remembered a friend had read from an old bee book that if you bang pots or use whatever can make noise, the bees return, but I had shrugged it off at the time. With no other options, and those bees so high, what the heck we tried it.  So I had an old metal bird feeder, actually 2, on a metal stake. We pulled it out of the ground and started banging.  Well wouldn’t you know, the bees started flying back down.  We couldn’t believe it!  What a sight with our mouthes hanging open in amazement, all those bees coming back;  we kept banging until they settled on a low branch, and we hived them.  
Has anyone ever heard this? and if so what publication/book can it be found in.  


Deb Corcoran, Bee Thankful Raw Honey
Western Catskill Mountains NY




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