Bee Keeping Advice needed ASAP!!

[Quail_Antwerp]

My mom's bees are swarming!!!

I'm going to be getting a CRASH COURSE in beekeeping!!

Mom's got a box, just needs assembled with no frames.

Can i build frames, or do I need a kit??

She said I can put the swarm in the box minus frames for a few days -

and E who has been all "I'm allergic, no bees" has been saying, "see if you can get a pattern so we can build the frames" etc.

So, mom's going to check to make sure her queens are still in her hives, and if it's an all's go, I'M GETTING BEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[keljonma]

As a first timer, you are better off getting frames than trying to build from scratch. Less headaches because they will fit the super or hive body better and bees will build less excess wax.

Where are the bees collecting? High or Low?

When I caught our swarm, I just used an old box (with lid) that printer paper came in. Cut a hole about the size of a baby food jar lid in one side of the box. Cut another small hole on the other side and cover with some window screen. I then sprayed sugar syrup inside the box and set it under the swarm. Then I took a broom stick or garden hoe and hit the tree branch hard into the open box. Put the box on a flat surface, add a small flat dish of sugar syrup inside the box. Put the lid on and leave it alone.


Your mom may not see a queen in the original colony. What she may see is queen cells - they look like peanuts that hang low on the frames.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Mom said they are collecting on bushes by her house, and something about we can cut the limb and put the whole limb in the box.

Does that sound alright?

 

[keljonma]

You can, but if they are low enough, I would just shake them into the box. If you leave the branch in the box, the bees may start buidling comb on it..... messy........

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

You can, but if they are low enough, I would just shake them into the box. If you leave the branch in the box, the bees may start buidling comb on it..... messy........

Mom said they have already started to build combs on it - so I guess they were swarming for a bit before she noticed...

 

[keljonma]

That is really quite unusual.

It is my understanding that bees won't build comb unless they feel it is a safe place for raising brood. The swarm may still have scouts out looking for such a place.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

I honestly don't know! I'm trying to remember everything she said, but beyond "2 swarms and i need someone to get them" I can't tell ya much! I went into, "i need a hive" mode - kind of happening faster than I thought, but last year I had said I would like to get bees this year, and mom said she'd be willing to help me if she could.

Now if I could just get her on the phone!!

 

[keljonma]

Well, if she has an unassembled hive body, she may be busy assembling it to use to capture the swarm. Swarms do not hang around long in an unsecure place; scout bees are probably out there looking for a good home now. If she doesn't have a pneumatic nail gun, your mom is probably wishing for one right now!

 

[keljonma]

I know it is hard, but the best thing to do is to get into ZEN mode.

Work calmly but efficiently to capture the swarm as quickly as possible before they take off.

You could make some sugar syrup for the bees.
Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Stir in 4 cups white granulated sugar. Stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Let cool before feeding to bees.