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  • From: Lewis Cauble <lewis AT hivebody.com>
  • To: ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Swarm question from a newbie (and not on the swarm listserve)
  • Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 08:07:51 -0400 (EDT)

I have never had any luck attracting swarms to a box like that.  I believe you really need to prune the branch with the swarm on it and shake them in to a box with a frame of open brood.

 

Sometimes it's best to just let them go if they are too high.  Safety first!

 

That being said, I would park a pick up truck underneath the limb and place the ladder in the back of the truck so I could reach them.  Again...Safety first.  A swarm is not worth a broken neck.

 

I have also used 2 pole saws to retrieve swarms just out of reach.  One person uses 1 pole saw to grip the branch near the swarm.  The other person uses the other pole saw to prune the branch near the tree.

 

Always where protection if you are working underneath the bees like this.  Swarms are gentle but they are quite stingy when they are raining down on you from above. 

 

Brushy Mountain sells a swarm catching bucket on a stick that is sometimes handy.  http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Hipps-Swarm-Retriever/productinfo/270/

 

Lewis


On March 12, 2012 at 10:57 PM "Eckel, Stephen" <SEckel AT unch.unc.edu> wrote:

> Just got home (at dusk) from a 4 day business trip and noticed a nice
> swarm above my hives in a tree. I have no idea how long it was up there.
> First time ever to have one so asking some advice. I live in Chapel Hill
> (intersection of 86 and 40).
>
> The branch containing the major part of the swarm was located about 4
> inches above what I could reach with my 6-foot ladder and being at the
> top. I shook some into a bucket, but left most of it up there (assume
> the queen stayed there). There is no good place to lean an extension
> ladder, so not sure what to do. 
>
> I placed some sugar water in an open hive body, including the bees I
> could reach.
>
> Any thoughts on better / different ways to lure the swarm into the hive
> body, when it is out of reach?
>
> Stephen Eckel
>
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