What Happens When Your Swarm Box Is Too Small?

[JP]

Got a call from Scotty, you will see him in the pictures. He works at Walmart. His job was to find a beekeeper that could come get a swarm from a shopping cart in their parking lot. I asked Scotty how big he thought the swarm cluster would be if it were in a ball? He says Basketball size. Well most people over estimate, not Scotty!

I honestly thought it was two swarms side by side with at least a couple of queens, but after thoroughly inspecting and witnessing the bees reaction to the queen I caged, I am convinced there was only one queen.

My regular white and blue "High Tech" box, that's what Brendhan calls them, was too small to house them all so we had to get a much larger box.

If I had to guess this thing weighed 8-9 lbs. It was good to get a large one, most I've caught this season thus far average around 3lbs.

Pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/pyxicephalus/April192008


...JP

[Understudy]

You need a bigger box.

If the bees don't have comb. You can count on many of them dieing off before the hive comes to full function.

A swarm that big is usually from an absconding situation.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[Michael Bush]

Any old cardboard box will do.  Walmart should have one around somewhere that's big enough.

[JP]

Any old cardboard box will do.  Walmart should have one around somewhere that's big enough.

They did.


...JP

[Cindi]

JP, awesome, that is one great big ol' swarm eh?  Yep, I would guess it was an entire hive absconded, you are going to give them a better home than the one that they obviously and perhaps left, they probably absconded for a good reason, hee, hee.  Beautiful and wonderful day, Cindi

[KONASDAD]

I see you using paper boxes. Do you just dump bees inside, or are there frames placed inside? I have access to many paper boxes here at my office.

[Moonshae]

JP, you catch so many swarms and do so many cutouts, I am in complete awe of the equipment you have available into which you put all these new bees!

[JP]

I see you using paper boxes. Do you just dump bees inside, or are there frames placed inside? I have access to many paper boxes here at my office.

Sometimes a frame with drawn out comb, sometimes a bit of comb from some cutout, sometimes a little lemongrass, usually at least a little lemongrass. The thing is if you get the queen inside and if she doesn't leave (if she does, you just cage her) they will orient to wherever the queen is and fan nasonov.


...JP