OK! Another story about catching swarms.

[Anonymous]

I had an appointment yesterday so was in a nearby larger town most of the day. When I arrived home there was a note in the door a queen I had ordered was at the post office, A different story.
When arriving home wioth her I checked the phone for messages and Bob said I have a swarm and it is 11:45 if your intrested. I called him only to learn from his wife he was after a second swarm. I drove to where he was and found him standing watching the bee all on his tail gate and blood running down both arms. What is going on I asked. He explained the tree has thorns (Honey Locus) and getting int to the branch the bees had been on got him scratched a bit. He explained he had cut the branch which just fell and missed the deep he had placed to catch them and hit on the tail gate of the truck.







As We were talking I saw the queen walk across the tail gate and didn't grab her just pointed to her for Bob to see. He missed her when he grabbed but thought she may have went into the deep.

I got two bee brushes and started scooping bee up and dumping them into the hive.





That didn't work they just flew back into the tree.

  Al

[Anonymous]

It was decided that since it was 6:30pm and meal time for both of us to return at 8:00pm and try again. I would climb a ladder and hold a bucket under them and shake the branch anbd cover them as fast as I could.











Decided I had gotten them all, well most any way so we dumped them into the hive body. We left the entrance open for the stragglers and took honey covered frames which we klaid out for them to get on and inserted them into the deep.




Bob with his tellascoping pole saw.Looks good for a 69 year old old timer. Bob also showes off a new Idea he got of placing the intercover hole cross ways to the frames.





I now have 5 colonies thanks to my friends. I strongly recommend every one join a club. Friends help friends when they need help. Friends join together to buy equipment in bulk to save money.

  Al

[BigRog]

I notice he doesn't wear any gear

Great pics by the way

[asleitch]

I now have 5 colonies thanks to my friends. I strongly recommend every one join a club. Friends help friends when they need help. Friends join together to buy equipment in bulk to save money.
  Al

I second that, our club joins together to buy jars, as over 1000 jars, the discounts become very significant, also, like you say you can ring someone up for help when you need, and you can share transport to shows etc. Sharing equipment between members, or in our club, we have club equipment we can borrow such as extractors etc, we also have a club solar melter (just bring your frames and use it at the club apiary) a club library books and videos) and gas torches for sterilisation etc etc.

Well worth while. It also provides public insurance liability cover, and a secondary insurance policy covers loss of your hives to foulbrood.

Adam

[eivindm]

trailtwister,

Just have to say that I really enjoyed your picture series, just as I always do!!  Looking forward to the next

eivindm

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the nice comments. I so much enjoy showing pictures of my & Kares hobbies. We now have 8 pages of our flower pictures on the garden forum, Also have pictures posted there on the building of the new bee garden. We are not finished with it yet but have taken as many plants as we know are proven bee magnets and planted there. We are trying to get early spring magnets as well as fall ones letting the bees do their own mid summer thing for now.
http://www.beemaster.com/garden/viewtopic.php?t=120

I didn't wear any gear till I was stung in the face twice in about two weeks time. Also being up on a ladder I didn't want to take the chance of trying to avoid a sting and falling.

[leominsterbeeman]

I am making some equiptment and was planning on putting the hole in the inner cover  like the one in this picture.  

I work the hives from the back and figured that it would be easier to lift off this way.  

Does Bob have a reason he builds them this way?

[Anonymous]

Bob's reasoning behind the intercover slot being laid out that was was two fold. You can see a bit more of the frames doing a quick check, when inserting mite strips you don't have to full remove the intercover. Seems to work well for him and I have begain to build mine that way also. I have found it ideal for the strip placement too.
  Al