soarwitheagles
True BYH Addict
Hi everyone!
Happy 2017 to all! Hope all your bees are buzzing and healthy.
I have decided to keep a 2017 beehive swarm log.
Last year was the very first time we tried our hand at catching swarms. We did OK, but did not get a start until May if I remember correctly. I was reading that in our area, swarms normally begin in February. So today, 01.29.2017, we began the adventure.
First, I would like to post about a huge mistake I have already made...I decided to leave all our hive swarm traps up in their trees though out our long and wet winter. The first swarm trap I took down was very exciting...it felt as if it had 50+ lbs of honey in it! Wow! I could barely lift it off the tree mount. I eagerly unscrewed the top, and opened it up, my mouth watering as I imagined all that honey...
Well, much to my dismay, it was not 50lbs of honey. It was an accumulation of a couple of gallons of water that must have leaked inside during our unusually wet winter...the frames were slimy as can be, everything was water logged, and my dream of eating 50 lbs of honey, teaspoon by teaspoon was utterly crushed! Instead, I felt like puking after smelling all the slime and yucky stuff on the inside...Nothing like a strong humbling before the season starts!
Lesson learned:
Never leave swarm traps up in the tree during a wet winter! Instead, store them in a dry place.
I reluctantly took down other swarm traps that were left up all winter...and found better news...no water, and everything looked good on the inside.
I have decided to place the water logged swarm trap in a heated room for a few days in the hope of using it once it is dried out.
I set two swarm traps today using the following procedures:
1. Inspected the trap.
2. Added some super old and super dark old comb.
3. Sprayed 3 whiffs of Swarm Commander on the inside of the top of the lid, and two whiffs on the front entrance.
4. Remounted the swarm traps 10ft. up in trees.
My plan for the next few days is this:
1. Hopefully make another 5, 10, or 15 new traps.
2. Mount another 5, 10, or 15 new traps.
3. Daily inspect each of the traps.
4. Hopefully, begin to catch bee swarms and transfer them into real hive boxes.
5. Live happily ever after with more beehives.
Hope it works!
I will do my best to post our progress!
Happy swarm catching to all!
Happy 2017 to all! Hope all your bees are buzzing and healthy.
I have decided to keep a 2017 beehive swarm log.
Last year was the very first time we tried our hand at catching swarms. We did OK, but did not get a start until May if I remember correctly. I was reading that in our area, swarms normally begin in February. So today, 01.29.2017, we began the adventure.
First, I would like to post about a huge mistake I have already made...I decided to leave all our hive swarm traps up in their trees though out our long and wet winter. The first swarm trap I took down was very exciting...it felt as if it had 50+ lbs of honey in it! Wow! I could barely lift it off the tree mount. I eagerly unscrewed the top, and opened it up, my mouth watering as I imagined all that honey...
Well, much to my dismay, it was not 50lbs of honey. It was an accumulation of a couple of gallons of water that must have leaked inside during our unusually wet winter...the frames were slimy as can be, everything was water logged, and my dream of eating 50 lbs of honey, teaspoon by teaspoon was utterly crushed! Instead, I felt like puking after smelling all the slime and yucky stuff on the inside...Nothing like a strong humbling before the season starts!
Lesson learned:
Never leave swarm traps up in the tree during a wet winter! Instead, store them in a dry place.
I reluctantly took down other swarm traps that were left up all winter...and found better news...no water, and everything looked good on the inside.
I have decided to place the water logged swarm trap in a heated room for a few days in the hope of using it once it is dried out.
I set two swarm traps today using the following procedures:
1. Inspected the trap.
2. Added some super old and super dark old comb.
3. Sprayed 3 whiffs of Swarm Commander on the inside of the top of the lid, and two whiffs on the front entrance.
4. Remounted the swarm traps 10ft. up in trees.
My plan for the next few days is this:
1. Hopefully make another 5, 10, or 15 new traps.
2. Mount another 5, 10, or 15 new traps.
3. Daily inspect each of the traps.
4. Hopefully, begin to catch bee swarms and transfer them into real hive boxes.
5. Live happily ever after with more beehives.
Hope it works!
I will do my best to post our progress!
Happy swarm catching to all!
Last edited: