On Mon, 1 May 1995, Mihaly Ligmond wrote:
 
> Im a small amateur beekeeper and on Saturday one of my hives swarmed. It
> landed about 12feet high in a neighbors tree. I and a friend of mine got a
> ladder and I climbed up empty hive in hand to retrieve  the swarm. I held the
 
I prefer a carboard box with flaps that can be closed for such a climb.
Light, cheap, empty, and handy.
 
When the swarm is in the box, close the flaps and climb down.
 
Don't keep the box closed too long for fear of suffocating, but a light
tap on the ground will drop all the bees to the bottom long enough to
put a screen from a window or some such over top so you can wait til dusk to
dump them into their new home.
 
Hiving a swarm at dusk increases the chances of their staying.  A small
patch of open brood on a single frame taken from a hive and placed in the
waiting box along with other comb just before hiving will virtually assure
you they won't just leave in the morning.
 
Allen
 
W. Allen Dick, Beekeeper                        VE6CFK
Rural Route One   Swalwell   Alberta   Canada  T0M 1Y0
Email:   [log in to unmask]    or   [log in to unmask]
Virtual Art Gallery: http://www.cuug.ab.ca:8001/~dicka
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