a swarm, but not bees!

[kathyp]

for two days running about 40 swallows have swooped down in my place for a late afternoon snack.  i think they are fattening up to go south.  darn things get at my bees in the spring and now i have to put up with them at this time of the year!  i have never seen anything quite like it.  Alfred would have new material if he were still alive!!

[pawallinsr]

The Swallows have been hear (Spencertown, NY) for about a week. They sit on the power lines there must be at least 500 hundred or more. They feed over the pond in front of the house. Good thing my Bees are in VA.

[LoriMNnice]

I have the same thing happening, the feral cats love it they snag a few 

[JP]

Hey Kathy, that's one way to make a split. 

Fire up the pellet gun yet? 


...JP

[kathyp]

chris did that yesterday.  ever try to hit a swallow with a pellet gun?      it was entertaining.  i think that if they come back tomorrow and i catch them at it, i'll pull out the 20 gauge and have a go at it.  i don't think swallows are protected??

[BlueBee]

i don't think swallows are protected??

Maybe we need some new government rules and regulations 

[doggonegardener]

http://www.fws.gov/laws/lawsdigest/migtrea.html

[Sundog]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barn_Swallow#Parasites_and_predators
"Swallows at their communal roosts attract predators and several falcon species are known to make use of these opportunities. Falcon species confirmed as predators include the Peregrine Falcon...
http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/59/_/Peregrine_Falcon.aspx

Perhaps playing a recording of the falcon will scatter the swallows for you.  I played the one from the url above and my wife's yellow lab woke up and started to run around the room looking for it.

Have fun!

[BjornBee]

What a great subject for the rant of the month.

I have added some comments to my rant page. If you care to read them, it can be found here at the top of this page: http://www.bjornapiaries.com/beekramblings201112.html

Hope you enjoy.

[duck]

triple s... shoot, shovel, shutup.

[JackM]

Kathy, try one of the nets sold for keeping birds out of trees, run vertical lengths between poles so they can't swoop down.  Or a shotgun will work too

[BlueBee]

I wonder if they have internet in the Big House 

[Intheswamp]

<sigh>  Years ago I erected a 16-gourd Martin rack in the yard.  Each year I have a full house with no vacancies.  They arrive around February 1st and leave around July 4th...most years.  I did not see them targeting my beeyard (200' away) but I'm concerned about possible queen mating flights.   Not sure how this is going to work out, but the wife loves the dawn song of the martins and their babblings the rest of the day so they are safe.  There's also barn swallows around that do graze the pasture that I have the bee yard in...we'll see how they work out...  If I decide to raise queens later on I've got the swamp I can always try it at, I guess. 

Ed

[kathyp]

BB you sound like a city boy 

i look at my bees as any other livestock on the place.  if something threatens them, it needs to go.  i'd rather not kill things, but the well placed shot is often the solution.  4 or 5 swallows in the spring i can live with. a re-enactment of The Birds, which is what has been going on here, is another thing.

you'll be pleased to know that yesterday only 1/2 a dozen showed up, so it looks like they are moving on.....however, if it's a choice between swallows and my bees, the swallows lose.

[BjornBee]

BB you sound like a city boy 

i look at my bees as any other livestock on the place.  if something threatens them, it needs to go.  I'd rather not kill things, but the well placed shot is often the solution.  4 or 5 swallows in the spring i can live with. a re-enactment of The Birds, which is what has been going on here, is another thing.

you'll be pleased to know that yesterday only 1/2 a dozen showed up, so it looks like they are moving on.....however, if it's a choice between swallows and my bees, the swallows lose.

I think you are very confused. City folks are just like you. Kill everything, and try to live in a sterile environment. I am the opposite.

I deal with folks all the time. Kill the bees. Kill the birds. Kill the wildlife coming into the manicured lawns and properties, filled with flowers and edibles. I actually have discussion with homeowners who plant flowers and then complain about bees visiting their property. You propogate a food source, then I suppose kill anything that happens to want to eat them. Bees are not harming the flowers, just as the birds did not harm your hives by taking a few bees, then moving on.

And yes, beekeepers are just like the pool owner. Or the over hyped parents that feel the need to "protect their children" from the hordes of honey bees on their property visiting the clover in the yard.

I am just comparing the homeowner that puts out laced syrup to rid their property of the honey bees, and comparing that to the beekeeper who wants to rid themselves of anything and everything that might be detrimental to their bees.

Not sure why the comparison to city folks. I don't live in the city. But I am good at seeing hypocrisy.

I say more power to the property owners trying to rid themselves of honey bees across the country. I say poison them all. Kill any animal crossing onto your property.

Is that what you want to hear? If I am to support your view of killing every animal that may be perceived as a threat to your bees, then I would certainly hope you back and support homeowners who want nuisance bees visiting pools and their flowers, and perhaps being stepped on by children, completely banned from existing. Homeowners should have the right to kill your bees, as easy as you have the right to kill birds venturing on your property.

There...I support your position.

Shoot away!

[kathyp]

you are to young to be so fussy.  i hope i live long enough to see what you are like as an old man   

[JackM]

you are to young to be so fussy.  i hope i live long enough to see what you are like as an old man   

Here, here, but not way on my part

[ch.cool]

Hi,

I think Bjorn has a good point even he is a bit over the top, but sounds a bit like those cattle farmers they want kill all the wolves in the US and then there are the ones they get some dogs and let the wolves be. Is there not a different method to scare those swallows away. Google "irri tape" or try a plastic owl since it is just for a short time of the year.
But I'm just a hobby beekeeper and love swallows, they bring the Spring up to the north.

ch.cool

[carlfaba10t]

Well KATHYP, I do believe you got thier attention! 

[BjornBee]