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Thu, 29 Jun 2006 10:18:33 -0400 |
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Hi,
I got a swarm call from a friend who is a bee-landlord for me. Seems
a small (2 pounds) swarm settled in an apple tree in the neighbors yard
next door.
I grabbed a top, a mesh bottom floor, a very old brood box with frames
varying from almost black to brand new Pierco.
This frame combo has worked great before - but, not this time. After
knocking the bees from the branch into the box, I saw the queen walk down
onto one of the old frames. I waited a couple of minutes as many bees
were fanning enthusiastically then slowly put the inner cover and then the
top on.
5 minutes later, there were more bees coming out of the hive than there
were going in and all fanning had ceased. The bees crawling up the hive
front looked like a forming swarm. Gradually a cluster formed on the same
branch in the tree.
Next, I knocked the cluster into a cardboard box - and immediately the
fanning resumed. I set the open carton in front of the hive on the ground
and I left them there overnight. This morning (cool) there was a tight
cluster in the carton. I up-ended the carton over the inner cover so they
will have to exit through the hive box.
I have never had a problem with a swarm I could reach easily so I keep
wondering - were they rejecting the hive box? (Or, maybe I rushed things
because the neighbors were watching me.)
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