First 2016 Swarm Call

I just arrived at my first bee yard when I received a swarm call today. It was Lisa Phillips of Round Tuit Farms asking if I wanted to handle a swarm. You betcha! I finished up what I was doing (those nucs are looking really nice!) and went over to check out the swarm. It was about 12 feet in this thick mess of bushtreethings. We got a ladder and a homer bucket and on my first attempt up the ladder I got up a couple steps and fell down. OK, funny.
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Next time was more of a success. Bucket nicely underneath the bees and a good shake. Bees in the bucket and a few all over the homeowner and I. Down the ladder and dumped the bees into a waiting hive box. Lemon grass! Back up the ladder to get a second shake and then dumped them into the hive box. We notice there were a few more on the branch and decided to cut the branch. Took the cut branch with the the bees and laid the branch on top the hive.

“Shouldn’t we shake them?” Naw, just sit a lil bit and watch them march into the hive. It was nice when the bees do what you say they’re going to do.

20160417_141756About a 4 pound swarm! I’m very grateful to Lisa Phillips for giving me the swarm call – awesome! (sorry for the blurry pic, I’m getting old). The only stings were from nettles. ouch.

If you find a bee swarm on Whidbey Island, please give me a call!


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