# Are my bees swarming?



## mooman

Hive has not really looked all that active lately, but have been very busy with other projects so I just kind of let them bee (get it?). Today however the huge mass of bees flying everywhere. as high as 30 feet up and all around hive. Lots of activity around entrance. 20 min later......all gone. I'm going to do an inspection. What should i look for? I was going to go in and take my first honey ever today. Still a good idea or not if they swarmed?


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## mooman

http://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/slideshow/AlbumID=6663191025/PictureID=273657508025/a=4697098025_4697098025/otsc=SHR/otsi=SPIClink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

video

ps why when i try to post pics from snapfish does it not work? just an x shows up and I have to link to my snapfish page.


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## johng

Lots of activity infront of the hive later in the afternoon normally is just orientation flights. New bees learning where their hive is. But, lots of bees circling 20-30feet up in the air could very well be a swarm. Look around the hive up in the trees on bushes and see if you can find where they settled down. They normally do not go to far when they first swarm.


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## scrapiron

My hives usually do their orientation flights around 3:00 to 3:30 in the afternoon, on sunny days. A sign to look for is bees coming out the front door, crawling up the front of the hive several inches, and then taking flight. (as opposed to just flying out of the opening) Other signs are bees zig zaging at the entrance instead of just coming and going, and the girls will be a bright yellow color in the sun, almost like a yellow jacket.

My hives are crazy busy right now. 7am and there is a cloud of bees working before the sun is even up. So that is something to consider as well.


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## alleyyooper

*"I'm going to do an inspection, what should i look for?"*
Look for queen cells, look for queen cells being torn down by the workers. that is about all you can do. If you had did an inspection recently you could have compaired the amount of bees in the hive.

Go ahead and pull the honey won't make a differance at this point. 

I say they did indeed swarm.

 Al


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## mooman

Yes, they swarmed. They are hanging on an apple tree 3 ft off the ground (scrapiron check your pms). I'm just getting into the hobby and don't have an extra hive. So what does this mean for honey production for this season? Can I still take some off? Swarming isn't a bad thing right? Just means I was a bit lax on management and the hive was healthy right?


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## scrapiron

Sorry, I just got your message. I will call you first thing in the morning.


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## TxGypsy

It's better for honey production if they don't swarm, but that doesn't mean that you won't get any honey. Just don't rob them to death, but that applies no matter what. I leave my hives with the 2 deep super brood boxes and make sure at the end of the season that there is plenty of honey in the supers. If there isn't I change out a few frames of comb for frames of honey.

Aarrgh! You have to get some more equipment! I just couldn't stand it....I'd be trying to figure out some way to hive that swarm! Good luck!


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## alleyyooper

Were it me I would shake the bees in a card board box and find some extra equpiment ASP. In a worst case I would slap a top bar hive together just as a tempory hive till I could get lang. stuff.

 Al


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## TxGypsy

or start using top bar hives :grin:

I'm changing over to top bar hives as soon as I can get enough time to finish building them.

Heck, make a wooden box with a bottom and a top....and an entrance. They'll attach comb to the top, but you can cut it out and put it into frames as soon as you get set up. Not pretty, but it is better than letting that swarm escape.


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## mooman

Both of my hives ARE top bar. I wanted my next hive to a langstroth but never got around to purchasing one (other projects this spring)

Its all good. Scrapiron was able to come over. He gave me a great deal on a used hive and helped me house the swarm. 

As of now all the bees have gone into the hive. I'll be moving it to it's permanant location as soon as it gets dark.


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## scrapiron

Had a great time today mooman. You have a nice Homestead! Forgot to mention, treat the swarm like you would a package. Reduce the bottom entrance, and add a feeder for a few weeks until they have comb with food stored. Good Luck Man.


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## mooman

They absconded. Searched around but could not hear or see the swarm. Ohh well, at least I tried and now i have another box in case the other hive throws a swarm. Thanks again for the help Scrapiron and thank you all for the advice.


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## southerngurl

Darn! Sorry you lost them.


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## AverageJo

So sorry they left. Did you put a frame/bar of drawn comb in there? Make them feel more at home with a start perhaps. Like you said, at least you are prepared for the next swarm now.


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