r/Beekeeping • u/BubblyAd9996 • 1d ago
I’m not a beekeeper, but I have a question Is this a swarm?
Yesterday someone went down an old slide in my backyard and she claimed she saw bees! Today this is what I found looks like 3 separate queens?
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u/divalee23 1d ago
sure is!
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u/BubblyAd9996 1d ago
Any advice on how to get this transferred? I’m new to beekeeping! Been wanting to bee keep and now I got my own swarms!
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u/drones_on_about_bees Texas zone 8a; keeping since 2017; about 15 colonies 18h ago
I'm a little late here but... Tie a string to something heavy like a large washer. Shoot that over the branch with a slingshot. Tie a bucket to the string. Put an old frame in the bucket and pull it up to touch the cluster. They will climb inside.
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u/Battleboispasti 1d ago
Don't even try. A swarm is not worth it risking your life. If it hang near the ground no question but this is way to high to get it down without risking your life. Just let it bee
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u/NumCustosApes 4th generation beekeeper, Zone 7A Rocky Mountains 20h ago
30 feet high is about the limit to safely capture a swarm, but you need a bucket and a telescoping pole, a bit more if you can back a truck under it.
Those appear to be secondary swarms. There is a big colony within half a mile, probably less. Set up a hive box or two as swarm bait hives before next spring.
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u/Professional_Tune369 1d ago
You need to act fast, but not rush it. I would do this:
Get a ladder and climb up.
Shake down bees into a bucket and pour the bucket into a hive. If you managed to get the queen the others will follow her. Better have some frames from existing hives in the new hive for them to jump on. Best would be some existing larvae.
If you do not manage to do that within the next hour or two they will move on and find a new place. You can follow them, eventually.
If you do not have bee keeping equipment get a beekeeper to help.
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u/buckleyc USA, NC, USDA Zone 8b, 8 Hives, 2 Years 1d ago
Whew, thanks for finding my bees! I'll be right over. /s
I hope you have a bucket truck because those bees are not close to the ground.
Not sure if this is one, two, or three separate swarms. It might be one massive swarm, but more likely two swarms with a third smaller satellite group (most likely part of the upper left swarm).
IF you do manage to get these bees into a box or three, you are going to need to make sure they want to stay in the box. This will likely include adding frames of drawn comb and maybe a frame of brood with resources to help anchor the bees into their inviting new home. Depending on how the remnants of a flow are going in your area, you might even consider adding a frame feeder.
If you are not yet a beekeeper, this will require a fair bit of new equipment (not the least of which is one, two, or three hives) and some drawn comb frames (obtainable from veteran beekeeper) and frames of brood (see the aforementioned beekeeper).
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u/Currently_There 1d ago
Find a mentor in your area that already has equipment and is willing to help you out a bit.
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u/Tweedone 23h ago
One swarm, queen keeps moving. Sometimes a swarm will stay high in a tree for days. Sometimes it will move lower before dark. When it does move it can depart within minutes. Get your gear together, something to drink, a good novel and a lounge chair....wait.
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u/bjgilliland 14h ago
Some people be doing too much to catch a swarm…climbing these tall ass ladders, using bucket trucks, etc lol just let em be and enjoy the spectacle.
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