Hello All,
I just returned from a swarm call to Lake Lafayette. For decades swarm calls
were swarms hanging in trees or at least off the ground.
I have had three now in the last five years that were on the ground. In a
circle about two and a half feet in diameter and a couple inches deep. The
owner of the house said he watched these land  about an hour before I came.
I never was able to get the queen on the other two I had  on  the ground. I
use a swarm box now  my friend Horace Bell made and gave to me. I believe he
was trying to prove to me he is really retiring! He has still got his
smoker. The swarm box works great. Has had many swarms in it before. I
picked up several last week so queen pheromone is in the box.
When I sat the box down next to the swarm they started in the box.
Reason I believe they might have been queenless. I think I might smoke the
swarm through a queen excluder to see tomorrow.
Have others on the list seen similar swarms on the ground. I wondered if
perhaps an old Bumble bee hole was in the deep grass under the swarm. These
bees were defensive for a swarm.
The people were very nice and glad to get the problem taken care of. Always
happens when you have been working bees all day but although I pass the buck
on swarms whenever I can ( better put in as many in our area know I chase
very few swarms other than my own) I still feel picking up swarms is a
beekeepers obligation to the community.
comments on ground swarms?
Bob

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