new Aussie member about to trap a swarm pic attached

[mick]

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I discovered a swarm located on a Kangaroo Apple in my backyard. I quickly discovered that it would be easier and cheaper to become a beekeeper than have somoeone remove them. I took this pic of them and sent it to Max from the Melbourne Victorian Apiarists Assn  and he said that they cant be all that bad if I could get such a pic of them and encouraged me think about taking up the hobby rather than get rid of them.

I contacted Redpaths who are just up the road and found out that it wouldnt cost that much to get all the gear needed to start off. they advised me to put them in a strong bos which I have decieded to do in a few minutes time after it gets dark.

I have trimmed a few branches off to make it easier to move them and that resulted in a few scary moments as some fell from the main colony and made an impressive noise! I have my sturdy box with a small hole at the base 1 inch square and am about to lock the dogs uo, grab a torch, put on some gloves  and a pair of pants and do the deed by cutting the remaining branch and hopefully things will go smoothly. I will put them in the shed for a day or so while I pick up the ready to assemble box or boxex. How I transfer fron the cardboard box to the wooden hive is still a mystery but all will be revealed tomorrrow hopefully!

Here is a link to a pic of them I took yesterday.

http://tinypic.com/e9hxkn.jpg

here goes! better put some shoes on too!

[mick]

Gee they look pretty scary close up, crawling around but not making any noise, I wish I had a ciggie to smoke and blow on them! Im gunna have a beer to steady the nerves!

[mick]

I just put a pair of undies on my head for good measure

[mick]

Wow that was fun and pretty easy. Cut the branch and gently lowered it in they didnt move and I didnt drop one and have moved them to a locked shed with the window open.

Boy are the making a lotta noise, dont sound too happy I can hear em buzzing around the top of the box that would measure 2ft high, 2.5ft wide and about 1ft deep.

Glad its over though! Stay tuned for the next chapter in my beekeepinig career!

Im gunna be calling on you guys for a lot of advice I think!

cheers
mick

[Michael Bush]

I probably wouldn't have put them in the shed.  You might want to move them soon before they get more active and rear a lot of brood and you have twice as many bees.  Put them outside somewhere out of your way.

[mick]

Hi Michael, I assembled the box, built the frames, dtrung the wire .never again ! that wire hurts I needed a jig. I will have to get a battery to melt the wax onto the frames . That will mean they have spent 2 nights and one day in the box, thier thid night will be in the hive i hope. I will have to smoke them I reckon as they will be pretty hungry i expect. But if they can hold out for another 24 hours we are home!

In the shed they are in they are facing a big open window. so I hope itll be ok.


cheers

mick

[Michael Bush]

THey will stay in the box, or not, whether it's in the shed or not.  But they will be in the habit of flying into your shed now.  I'd just have put the box ouside.  If it's a cardboard box, then I'd try to keep it dry, I suppose.

[mick]

Well they are in the hive. Was a prettyawkward job as they had moved from the branch to the side of the box. So I dumped in what I could dumped the rest on a towell infront of the hive.I think most of em were away when I did it.  A lot seemed to escape during the transfer.I will check it after dark.

what can I say, it was my first go. I just hope they stay.

[rusty]

Hi Mick in OZ

Those are lovely bees, look like Buckfast Superbee, just like mine! I guess it's not that swarm I lost year flown all the way to you!!!

if they are Superbees you are very lucky, mine are fantastic, very placid, and believe me I need placid bees, (see my other posts!) Mine overwinter really well explode into brood rearing about now and produce vast qauntities of honey through the season.

Take care of them and they will reward you well

Rusty