Hello All,
I just returned from catching  *the truck stop swarm*.

I thought information about *the truck stop swarm* might come in handy to
those beekeepers which have yet to receive a call about *the truck stop
swarm*.

Ways to reconize *the truck stop swarm*.

1. usually appears (or noticed ) at day break.

2. usually located on the outside lane in the truck fuelling area.

3. always on the roof over the fuel lanes close to the lights.

4. loose bunch of bees and not in a typicaal swarm bunch

5. *the truck stop swarm* is not like your typical swarm and usually there
have been a couple stingings before the beekeeper arrives

Ways to get out of going after *the truck stop swarm*

1. Can't come today but will come next week

2.say you are afraid of heights

3. charge a ridiculous fee

I always go if  the bees are creating a problem.

What to do with the *truck stop swarm* after catching

1. drive to a remote area shake the bees out and drive away. (method I use
as I do not want to bring new problems into my hives and without a queen the
bees will simply live a few days and die off)

2. You can shake out in the area of your hives but I never do. Small hive
beetle could be in the *truck stop swarm* plus other bee problems.

 I have never seen *a truck stop swarm* with a queen for obvious reasons.

I have created a few *truck stop swarms *so will explain. Trucks loaded with
bee hives normally fuel at night. They  always use the outside lane on the
truck fueling side. Many  use Meyer red road runner netting (I do)so the
fact the truck is hauling beehives is not easily discovered. Those
attendants familier with *the truck stop swarm* will run out and wave you
away from the truck stop if they figure out you are loaded with bees. While
fueling usually around 500 to ??? bees are able to escape and fly up to the
lights on the canopy.  The bees are mostly older guard bees which have
excited the hive under the netting and are in a nasty mood.

My method to  handle  *the truck stop swarm*

1. close the lanes on both sides of the lane with the *truck stop swarm*

2. get a truck to back his truck under the canopy with the swarm. I have
never been turned down by a trucker I asked. Better in my opinion than
working off a ladder and I have always been able to reach the *truck stop
swarm* but might not work at every truck stop.

3. use a ladder to get on his truck

4. The best method is to use a bee vacuum but you can use a swarm box.

5. when you brush the bees you will quickly notice the bees are aggressive
and will sting. The bees fly back out of the swarm box almost as quickly as
you brush them in.

6. keep jarring the swarm box on the roof of the truck to keep the bees in
the bottom of the swarm box.

7. spraying the bees with sugar syrup helps.

8. you will not get all the bees without a bee vacuum but you will *like I
did today* reduce *the truck stop swarm* to about a hundred bees or less(if
lucky) The longer you try to get every bee more irrate the remaining bees
will become and those bees can cause stinging around the truck stop. If you
do not have a bee vac be content to leave a few bees.

9. the truck stop girls will think you are so brave. The girls also have
kind words for the attendent ( my neighbor and person which called me *three
stings on the face*) and truck driver (loaned the use of his truck *one
sting on top of his head*) which were stung today.

I received one sting on the side of my face but was laughing so hard at my
neighbor running between the trucks swatting at the bees with his hat I
enjoyed the event .

Now go out into the world and as I did and remove the queenless , worthless
*truck stop swarm*!

10. *Be sure to suit up* (which I did not) unless you want to have some fun
with your neighbor and the  over the road truck driver which would not head
your  warnings about the *truck stop swarm*.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison

Ps I am sure many on BEE-L will not find anything funny about being bee
stung. I apologize to those people as I could have left the stinging part
out. I always carry a epi pen in the truck for emergencies.