Showing posts with label swarm in action. Show all posts
Showing posts with label swarm in action. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Biggest swarm ever, 40' up in my tree

Late in the season last year, I made a split, which I wasn't even sure if it would make it through the winter in one deep. This spring it has surprised me by taking off with great speed. I have added 3 boxes on to it and just checked the other day that they still had storage room. What I have been doing since I have been so darn busy is checker boarding my brood. Checker-boarding is freeing up brood space by inserting empty frames. BBEBBEBEBB. B=brood, E=empty frame. I heard the noise and wondered which hive was going. To my suprise, once again, it was this hive, not the hive that is bearding and 7 boxes deep, so you know I haven't dug all the way down into the brood.
Off they go!
WAY up the tree right next to the hive.
It took me a while but I managed to hoist a hive with some drawn comb up the tree to try and entice them to move in before it rains (fingers crossed, knock on wood, ect) tomorrow. I didn't put any stores in there and that was a mistake. I'm not doing redoing the hanging of that hive so I will have to hope that the drawn comb is enough lure.
Look for the orange strap lower right and bees upper leftish. Long ways apart.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Swarm in action

Today, as I was frantically getting equipment ready for Farmer D's, I heard the hum of a swarm.  I looked up and yes, sure enough, they were off and going.  I follow for a few mins, but really I was already running late for a day packed with important appointments.  I have already add one or two boxes to every hive and rotated the brood boxes, but once it's in their intent to swarm it's to late to stop it..