# Swarm thread



## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

Might be nice for everyone to post their swarms. WHERE you are, how big the swarm was, how far off the ground, etc.

Reading other forums, it seems due to the mild winter, the bees are swarming 2 - 4 weeks earlier than usual. Here in PA, May is the usual time when swarms start, but I'm guessing next week or the week after, we will see swarms here.

I have 2 swarm traps on my property in case my hives swarm and plan to place several more where I know bees have swarmed before.


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## WildBillTN (Feb 1, 2006)

I had two swarms in two days over the weekend. They lit in the top of a 100 ft. tree both times. First swarm was basketball size, and the second was slightly smaller. The hives they came from seem just fine, with plenty of bees still flying and plenty of brood.
I hated to lose that many workers, but I consider it as a natural process. I would have captured them if they were closer to the ground, for sure.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Ours swarmed 3 weeks ago (Arkansas). They went all of 15 feeds and were in the blackberries, easy peasy to catch!


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## Michael W. Smith (Jun 2, 2002)

First swarm call May 1st in Worthville, PA 15784. 2 1/2 - 3# swarm on a pine branch 1 1/2' off the ground. An easy catch.

May 4th - Summerville, PA 15864. A neighbor left a message on the answering machine that a swarm was in his back yard about 10' high on a tree branch. By the time I got home from work, he had called another beekeeper,

May 5th - Summerville, PA 15864. Came home from being gone all day to find a 2 1/2 - 3# pound swarm hanging in a cherry tree 7' off the ground on my property. Not sure if it came from one of my hives or a feral colony, but it's mine now.


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## IndyGardenGal (Apr 5, 2009)

May 3rd- We had a swarm take up residence in our empty beehive. First swarm we've seen on the property since we've lived here.


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## Cascade Failure (Jan 30, 2007)

SE CT - today. 

Basketball sized swarm about 8 feet up and 20 feet from the hive. Went to get a few things to capture them and returned 15 minutes later. They were then 50 feet up an oak. I didn't have time to stick around and see where they might be going.


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## littlebitfarm (Mar 21, 2005)

May 8th. Large swarm, about 4 foot up in my peach tree. Knocked it into a 5 gallon bucket and then dumped into an empty hive.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=347175982004819&set=a.269372066451878.67105.269347789787639&type=1&theater

Kathie


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