Swarm 3 in 3 days & Temperamental Honeybees are a Pain In The Ass!

in #beekeeping6 years ago

Technically Swarm 1.2


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So the first swarm of honeybees felt begrudged by the "OBVIOUS SLIGHT" that happened yesterday when the second swarm of bees was given an actual hive and they were slumming in their 5 frame, cardboard nuc. The queen must have taken notice of this and taken major offense since today I was walking by the nuc that held the first swarm and noticed them trying to pull a mass evac from the nuc. The jar of syrup was pushed up against the entrance so they only had a small port to shoot out of. I moved the jar a bit and the torrent ensued.


"YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME!!"


It seems my bees are trying to give me the "TRAIL BY FIRE" teaching method.

3 SWARMS IN 3 DAYS!!


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SOOOOO....

The swarm had decided to mass on a branch about 30 feet up a tree. I was not very happy with this and chose to take my pole saw and jar them loose of the branch in hopes of them choosing a lower branch. While this worked perfectly to shift their massing location, I think I pissed them off a bit. I made sure to not let the mass get too large but they still were agitated by it.

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The swarm filled in on a nice low branch of my Hawthorne bush, right next to where their nuc had been. This made relocating them in their NEW hive a lot easier. At least so I thought.

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I was able to get good video of them beginning the mass of the swarm landing. The pile just gets bigger and bigger as each bee lands on and holds onto the group.

Somehow I managed to scavenge enough frames for to mediums, I had the inner lid and outer lid, plus a base riser. The only thing missing was a base board. Being in a rush I had to make something quick so i managed this. It is not the greatest but it is the correct size to hold the hive and keeps the base off the ground. It took a couple of tries at setting it up but in the end it is the right size and the hive is working fine.

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So now that my temperamental bees are in their full sized hive with some drawn combs ready to be filled, I really hope they keep their asses in place and do their duty.

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After 3 or 4 stings to the head, I'm ready to be done dealing with swarms. I took a Benadryl shortly after getting stung today, but the swelling is still there and the itching is maddening. Even my ear is swollen like cauliflower ear, sucks ass. Not the way I wanted my day to go so I hope to pass out nice and hard, nice and early from my Benadryl and beer desert I am currently engaged in.

Check out my blog @flemingfarm

For more information about our farm:
Fleming Family Farm
FLEMING FAMILY FARM, LLC
Sustainable & Organic Methods | Heirloom Produce
All images are original works of Fleming Family Farm unless otherwise notated and credited.

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Those bees are feeling some type of way! Hopefully they settle into their new home and give your stings time to heal up!

Have you heard of putting a baking soda paste on stings? That's what my beekeeper neighbor recommended when I was helping her the other week, but I've never tried it personally.

The baking soda acts as a poultice. As it dries it pulls the toxin out of the skin. The same can be done with an egg white poultice. I learned of them from my mother and alternative healing methods.

Today I read that you are to apply the back of a hot spoon to the place you were stung. At least it works with mosquitoes, but try it. When I was small, I had an interesting run in with a hive and ended up stung 17 times. The last thing I remembered was my brother deciding it (a fallen hive) should be stomped on... they chased us to the house and got up our sleeves and pant legs - no fun at all! So I am in awe of your bravery!

Really interesting that the warm will help the sting site! I will have to try this next time I get stung.

I don't know how much bravery is involved compared to brazen disregard for my own safety.... 🙄

hi @flemingfarm
ho are you to day?
please! Keep improving your sparkle by starring in your blog
Lehitlah your future will be more visible shine. As you do now, improve! Then you will look more glass with a high number. Greetings from us @razi04

Beekeeping is great^^

bees lot, lots amazing honey produce scenery, @flemingfarm,☺️

Wow. Very proud of your consistency on the bees. Utilizing them and hunting them. What Skillzzzz

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