Here is a nice bee story. 

After returning home from checking some outyards, my wife informed me that there had been a swarm from one of my hives. She knew the sound; the loud hum or buzz. She tried to see where they went but she lost them. Later that day one of my neighbors spotted the bees up in a tree about a half block from my hives. He said that he thought they were mine or at least I would be interested. They were off to the side of the road at the edge of the woods pretty far up the tree. 

I remember many years ago when I used to go on swarm calls. They never seemed to come when I was prepared nor did this one. My daughter was in New York; in the hospital; in labor and we were leaving early the next morning to be there for the big event. What to do? After thinking about it for awhile I decided to give it a try. After having lost so many bees to mites and the price of getting a package of bees, I thought I would be ahead if I could get this swarm. And it had been a long time since I had been on a swarm call even if this one was mine.

I tried to think about all the things I had read, heard and practiced over the years about how to get swarms. First I knew it was high in the tree so I got my large step ladder and my 7 foot (extendable to 14) tree trimmer. What else? I remembered that I have carried a sheet in my big bee equipment box for over 10 years and only used it once without success. I also remember reading that if you use a frame of uncapped brood inside an otherwise empty hive the the swarm would not leave once they were in the hive. Up to the tree I went with all my stuff loaded onto my truck. I put on my big rubber boots and tramped down all the honeysuckle and briars and spread my sheet out underneath the swarm. I placed the hive with a frame of brood (capped) on the sheet and back from where I thought the swarm would fall when I jerked the branch they were on.

With everything all set to go, I climbed the ladder, put the pruner on the branch and gave a big jerk. Down they came. Most landing on the sheet. So far so good! Bees were flying all over now. All over me and flying back to the branch I had just jerked. I watched as the first few bees walked up the sheet and into the hive entrance. Soon there were more than I could count heading to the hive. I tried to watch for the Queen but did not see her. There was now a big ball of bees again on the branch so up the ladder again with the prunner and with another jerk they fell to the sheet. Soon there were a few hundred bees with their abdomens stuck up in the air fanning their Nassanof gland and putting off a scent to tell all the other bees that this was the place to come. 

I went home after most of the bees were in the hive. I waited until dark and went up the road with my wheel barrow. All the bees were in the hive. None flying around. I put the hive into the wheel barrow and went home.

Post Script: The bees are fine! Mother and baby fine! Baby girl; Sydney Lynn; 7lbs. 13 ozs. 20 1/2 inches.

                     I am the proud Grandfather of several thousand little girls and one very special little girl.

Bill Bartlett