The swarm was against a tree trunk.

I went home and got two broom/mop poles and a 30 gal garbage bag with some string. I laid the poles parallel to 
each other and attached the bag with the string so the top of the bag formed a square opening, opposite sides 
against each pole and one end of the square at the end of the poles. Think an "H" closed at the top. The top 
square is the bag.

It was easy to place the end of the square against the tree below the swarm, holding the other ends of the 
poles. I pushed the poles until the bag end form-fitted the trunk, then worked it up, slicing the swarm from the 
tree as I went up.

When all the bees were in the bag, I joined the poles together, sealing the bees inside the bag.

What I should have done then is shake them into an empty hive body and sealed it up. Instead I drove them home, 
about five minutes away, then shook them into a hive body. They seemed no worse for the trip.

I refined it later by using a clear bag which had closing loops which made it easier to attach to the poles and 
I could see the bees. But never had another reason to use it. It could be used for any low hanging swarm or even 
one higher up, since it is easy to close around the swarm and shake the bees into it. Which is why I shifted to 
clear plastic, so I could see what was going on in the bag if I ever used it again.

It won the first prize in the large gadgets category at the 1993 EAS meeting at Orono, Maine.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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