It's been an old rainy day here. We did have a short reprieve in the morning so Jild and I took advantage and walked the dogs. Once down at the peach tree, I saw that the swarm of bees that I tried to capture yesterday, were swarmed high in the tree :(
Either I didn't get the queen yesterday, or she came out and went back to the tree. Before our walk ended, it started raining again.
I phoned my beekeeping mentor about what to do. He said the water would make them less energetic and to try again. I did.
Later, when I checked back later, they were no longer in the tree.
This means either they stayed in their new hive, or they left the property for parts unknown. I will know tomorrow.
Other than that little bit of outside activity, we've spent most of the day indoors. We took about a two-hour nap which we haven't done in a long time. It was refreshing.
The rain will move out tonight and hopefully, when I stepped to the apiary tomorrow morning, the captured swarm will still be there. I have my fingers crossed,
I know I said last night's picture was the last one for the week, but I lied. Today has not been good for pictures, so I dug one up from when I was a kid in Sloss Hollow.
Either I didn't get the queen yesterday, or she came out and went back to the tree. Before our walk ended, it started raining again.
I phoned my beekeeping mentor about what to do. He said the water would make them less energetic and to try again. I did.
Later, when I checked back later, they were no longer in the tree.
This means either they stayed in their new hive, or they left the property for parts unknown. I will know tomorrow.
Other than that little bit of outside activity, we've spent most of the day indoors. We took about a two-hour nap which we haven't done in a long time. It was refreshing.
The rain will move out tonight and hopefully, when I stepped to the apiary tomorrow morning, the captured swarm will still be there. I have my fingers crossed,
I know I said last night's picture was the last one for the week, but I lied. Today has not been good for pictures, so I dug one up from when I was a kid in Sloss Hollow.
I'm confused, is this swarm from your hives and you had to recapture them, or new bees that you are claiming for your hives...or a swarm with a new queen that came from one of you existing hives?
ReplyDeleteThe bees came from one of my hives. It’s how they survive. They get crowded in a hive, the hive creates queen cells so that a baby queen can hatch. The old queen takes roughly half of the worker bees and swarms. This swarm sends out scouts look for suitable lodging before the rest follow.
DeleteThey often find a hollow tree, the loft of a barn, or some other shelter.
Most of the time you can capture them like I did, put them in an empty hive and things go buzzing along.
Theses apparently didn’t like the decor.
R
Good luck with the swarm. Keep us posted. You were a cutie as a young un.
ReplyDeleteHope you can get the swarm back to the hive. It’s rainy here today. I think we have the same weather just a day or two apart.
ReplyDeleteLisa
Glad you were successful on the second try. I enjoy the old pictures. I get a kick out of old surroundings also. NICE! It didn't sound like you got stunk this time, espceially on the nose!
ReplyDeleteSherry & jack
It's always nice to see another picture and I'm sure this one brought some great memories with it. Good luck on the swarm. Hope you captured the queen. Almost like a game of chess there with those bees.
ReplyDeleteSweet pic and I just love the name: "Sloss Hollow"! Good luck with your bees..hopefully they are where they belong!
ReplyDeleteA cute picture. Hope the queen bee found your hive. It all sounds so complicated. I'd rather buy my honey.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Julia