Another swarming day

Yes, it is another. Another swarm. This one was about 10 feet high on a walnut tree just behind the likely suspected hive. It was a good size swarm. Probably about 4-5 pounds of bees.

Because the last one got away while I was preparing their site, I quickly decided that I could get this swarm all by myself. Waiting five hours until my husband got home was not ideal. They could fly away too. I've never gotten a swarm without my husband's assistance (ok, he gets the swarm with my assistance). But today I was determined.

I grabbed a six foot rickety wooden ladder from the garage, my five gallon bucket, the big and little loppers and some honey. When I got to the tree where the swarm was I realized that 10 feet high is a long way up when you only have a six foot ladder. Ah.... a challenge. Isn't that what everyone wants on a Monday afternoon?

Well, I snipped the branches that were in my way, climbed to the next to the top step (yes, the one above the step that says "do not stand or sit on or above this step"), and bonked the majority of the swarm into the bucket. I got about 75% of the swarm. The rest were not pleased with my acrobatics. But while they were buzzing around trying to find the culprit who disrupted their cozy formation, I walked the bucket of bees to their new location (the one I had gotten ready for a previous swarm). I "gently" dumped the bees into their new home, squirted some honey on the hives and watched them line up on both sides of the honey in neat little rows. I wish I had brought my camera.

I went back to the branch several more times. Each time I would get a few more bees. Eventually a double fist-full of bees decided that they would return to the parent hive and abandoned this swarm. That's alright.... the swarm will be big enough.

I checked a few minutes ago and the new bees seem to be reoriented to the new box and are busy bringing pollen and nectar in to make more bees. They will be busy. I had no drawn out comb for these girls. But they will be safe and dry. I wonder if they swarmed yesterday. We had a great big rain and storm last night. No wonder they weren't too happy. But rest assured. All is well now.

Today's Journey Joy: Hiving a swarm all by myself