Trying to catch my first swarm

[Happy Chooks]

Yesterday, I went down to my MIL's house and set my swarm trap. I only had frames with foundation, no comb, so I stuck a chunk of burr comb in there for the smell and added lemongrass oil too. I tied it down to her trellis for her kiwi plants, so it's 6 feet off the ground.

She lives in mandarin country, and about 200 feet down the road there are 90 hives sitting there waiting for the mandarin bloom. (it should be starting soon, her oranges are already in bloom) Many of the hives are singles, and about 1/4 of them are double deeps. I'm banking that they can't keep up with that many hives and some will swarm. (my MIL witnessed a swarm last year) My fingers are crossed!

So, we'll see how it goes at trying to catch one!

 

[Latestarter]

Wish you luck!

 

[Maggiesdad]

Got mine!

 

[Latestarter]

Way to go Dad! That's a nice sized swarm too! Was it from one of your hives?

 

[Happy Chooks]

That poor little tree. Glad you caught it! Was it from one of your hives?

 

[Maggiesdad]

Sorry for the lag! it's been a crazy week. more pics to follow.
Yes, it was from one of my topbars...

 

[Latestarter]

Glad you got it and didn't "lose" it completely.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Two of my new girls are out and about! This pic is from last Wed...

 

[Maggiesdad]

I cut these lower two free, left the other three on the bar, and made up three nucs!

 

[Maggiesdad]

Last year I accidentally ripped apart two ripe queen cells because they had attached them to two combs. I got wiser this year, and waxed them onto a blank starter strip. The girls took my roughshod work and made it look purty!