Trying to catch my first swarm

[Happy Chooks]

Nice! I hope they have some good mating flights and start laying for you!

 

[Maggiesdad]

Booyah! Fuzzy new girl!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I checked my trap last week, and nothing yet. But the mandarin bloom has just started. Swarming should be happening soon!

 

[Maggiesdad]

#3! The second one I caught was not out of any of my hives... I gave that one to a friend with an empty Warre. This batch came out of another one of my topbars. Those things are great for raising bees!
I sat down beside the swarm and just watched it til I saw the boss lady, then scooped her up with a double handful of bees and eased them in the box.

 

[Happy Chooks]

and .

I haven't been back out to check my trap. The husbands grandfather is dying, so we've all been pretty preoccupied with that. I did check my hives today, and both are growing rapidly! I came in to mix some more syrup, as they both have very little food for all that brood! The small hive will be ready for another deep soon.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Our blackberries, white clover and Tulip poplar all opened this weekend... it's on!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Ah, we are still a few weeks from our blackberry flow. Catalpa and locust are in bloom, but there aren't too many around. Yellow clover is in bloom, but haven't seen any white clover yet. Red clover is too, but that only feeds the bumblebees.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Yes,

our yellow clover is too... this was yesterday.

 

[Maggiesdad]

I meant to use this pic... you can see she has three toes, and her wings are tattered.

 

[Happy Chooks]

You always have amazing pictures! You must spend your day stalking your bees.