Catching a Honey Bee Swarm

Thank you, Juan!

I had this happen one year, when the bees started getting confused and building hives in the wrong places (furry bees, not yellow jackets)...

My car had tons of pollen on it from the oak tree it was under, and the bees were all over it, but they decided to put their hive on the edge of the house instead of the tree.

My car wouldn’t start, so had a couple mechanics from a local shop that came over to help, and as I walked out of the house to greet them, the bees covered me head to toe (took five minutes, but eventually they got bored and left me alone). The mechanics were extra creeped out. Neither had seen anything quite like that.

I’ve yet to ever be stung by a bee. I’ve been stung by wasps and yellow jackets, but never a bee.

Wow! You are so brave! No doubt your calmness saved you! Or you have magical powers......

:magic:

I was at my parents house a few days. Come home to a huge bee swarm/hive right above front door. Husband had been going in and out not even noticing the bees. He’s allergic to bees so it would have been bad. I called a bee keeper who was so glad to get the hive. Pretty cool watching him get them. They had already started making their hive above the door.

I had never seen a swarm in person until a few years ago. It was just like the cartoons.

Bees are awesome. They make useful wax and delicious honey. If only yellowjackets served a purpose other than staining me repeatedly.

Thanks for the report. Thank goodness your husband didn't get stung! I guess this is an exciting time of year for bee keepers!

I'm happy to hear there are still bees out there!

:bee:

My God controls the bees

They are mysterious creatures.

I love the way we can use their honey and wax without hurting them.

Lol. This guy has guts!!

5* thread dear sseess <3. I just started doing the gardening here in N Ireland last week & was lucky enough to see a few queen bumble bees flying around as i worked.
I am always lucky enough to get one or two nests in the garden each year. I very rarely see domesticated honey bees though some of the bushes that flower here in my
garden also bring in small solitary bees too when summer kicks in.


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I'd very much like to have a hive.

I wonder if I can make it happen this spring yet. Hmmmm...

Hi Fraust! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your bee story!

They really are adorable!

I hope you can! The honey and the candles and pollinating your garden!

:noice:

Good luck!

We caught a wild swarm one year. They gave us a lot of honey, but they were ANGRY bees as opposed to the more docile domestic varieties. Our other hive I could tend with just a hat and veil and they didn't bother me but these bees..ohmygoodness, I just had to look sideways at the hive and they were zooming me. I tried to go in once on a cool day with lots of smoke and I still got several stings. I let another more experienced beekeeper come and get them.

https://imgur.com/gnmRsKw

The swarm is under the edge of the cellar door roof. I just put the box there to catch them and it worked great.

Hi db!

Thanks for sharing! You are such an experienced farmer!

Not so much just brave as aware not to move and also the ability to withstand the sheer amount of tickles from that many bees crawling around.

Last Edited by InfiniTea on 04/06/2021 07:52 PM

is it easier to catch a swarm of bees, if the bee hive is hoisted 10 or so feet in the air, like with a rope pulley system, beside a big tree?

i've got a spare hive near the ground, and over several years, the honeybee swarms won't inhabit it, despite even being dumped into it