Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
My new best friend Dave arrived about an hour ago. In a healthy hive, he explained, the population will more or less double each year, and every spring the
hive splits in two, with half the bees remaining in the original hive with a new queen while the other half join the old queen in swarming off in search of a hollow tree trunk, big, overhanging limb, or some other location at which to build a new hive. (I made Dave repeat that, so, yes, I've got it right: A new queen keeps the hive, and the old queen gets kicked out. The bees have never heard of union seniority rules.) The swarming bees will spend a few days changing locations, with most of the bees hovering around the queen in a mass while scouts buzz off here and there searching for real estate.
Honeybees are never aggressive, even less so when they're swarming, Dave explained. All he would have to do is shake the main mass of bees into a cardboard box, making sure he'd
included the queen. Sensing the queen's pheromones, any remaining bees would soon make their way into the box to join her. Dave would then tape the box shut, drive to his home, and tip the box into one of the empty bee boxes in his back yard. (Colony collapse disorder is no joke. Dave has lost several colonies in the last year, and he was accordingly just delighted to scoop up our swarm.)
"A healthy hive," Dave explained with wonderful enthusiasm, "should produce five gallons of honey, maybe more. Next year, come by and have a taste." For my next birthday, I will.
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Jun '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
You really know how to celebrate a birthday.
Jan '11
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
The ricocheti have been buzzing with anticipation as to how this would get worked out. It's good to know that, in the end, no creature was hurt. I would have thought dealing with this would have proved a royal pain, but by tapping the hive-mind here you seem to have landed on a sweet solution.
I really love this about Ricochet, our diverse experiences can cross-polinate and blossom into something truly helpful. That's why I always make sure I take some time from my busy day to check in. There always seems to be a colorful post to draw me in, and I end up learning something that makes me say, "Well, I'll bee!"
PS-Swarm regards on the birthday, Peter!
Edited on Apr 18, 2011 at 2:14pmRe: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
Wow. Incredible. Glad you thought to snap photos to share with us!
Aug '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
This is great news!
Aug '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
That is pretty cool.
Dec '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
Note of caution, this is still done where I live, but on the down low. In Florida, you cannot legally capture a swarm or remove an existing hive to a new location.
You can never prove the negative that a hive has not been "Africanized" (Killer Beeees!!). It's a heartbreak to me when I encounter a swarm, or a hive that will have to be moved due to road construction, or somesuch. Heartbreaking, as I know many keepers that would gladly take them, but I have to do everything by the book on some projects.
It's a real shame, as I know a keeper that will do just about anything to get a swarm. On a private case, such as Peter's, he just drove to their house, removed the queen from the wall full of bees that was being torn down, then walked with her for over 35 miles, leading the swarm to his place. I love people like that! They give me faith.
Apr '11
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
I have to admit that my first instinct would have been to go to the store and buy some wasp & hornet spray and try to take out the queen along with a few thousand of her subjects. I'm very glad to learn of what clearly appears to be a better way of handling things. I guess I'm just bee-ist, or insect-ist or something.
Dec '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
My wife informs me that we're at least a two hive family. She was not too impressed by the five gallon output.
Jul '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
We really are reliving the '70s.
May '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
Nothing on earth is so delicious as honey produced by your own bees gathering nectar in your own garden. Nothing so fascinating as their mysterious, flawlessly-arranged, utterly efficient civilization. I used to sit out by my hives and watch them fly in with their little leg-balloons stuffed full of orange and gold goodness, and marvel.
May '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
A poem for bee-lovers and Irish-like souls, fitting for the holy season.
It was written by a convert of St. Patrick's, named St. Manchan of Offaly, in 6th century Ireland, depicting his dream of monasticism. I'll abbreviate it in deference to the word limit.
Grant me sweet Christ the grace to find—
Son of the living God!--
A small hut in a lonesome spot
To make it my abode.
A little pool but very clear
To stand beside the place
Where all men's sins are washed away
By sanctifying grace.
A pleasant woodland all about
To shield it from the wind,
And make a home for singing birds
Before it and behind....
A little house where all may dwell
And body's care be sought,
Where none shows lust or arrogance,
None thinks an evil thought.
And all I ask for housekeeping
I get and pay no fees,
Leeks from the garden, poultry, game,
Salmon and trout and bees. [Bees!]
My share of clothing and of food
From the King of fairest face,
And I to sit at times alone
And pray in every place.
Edited on Apr 18, 2011 at 7:31pmMay '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
Ack! Sorry about those spaces! Maybe the Ricochet Masters can fix it.
Apr '11
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
I am glad to know your swarm was seen to by a beekeeper. We have kept hives on and off since '97 in a relatively urban environment; the swarm is always exciting but with a little help, easily taken care of. The death of a hive, however, especially due to colony collapse disorder is another thing entirely as it is quite sad. While I haven't the eloquence of katievs, I do share her enthusiasm for honeybees.
Happy Birthday wishes to you.
Oct '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
Honeybees are awesome.
Apr '11
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
I grew up in south-west Michigan in a farm community with my folks, siblings, Grandparents, aunts (8) and uncles, in-laws, out-laws and other assorted relations (could never get away with anything...I was related to the majority of the village).
My Granddad was an orchardman...apples and peaches. We had hives everywhere, and I learned a bit about them as a kid. He always said the bees, when splitting like that, were at their most docile till the new hive was underway. Never kept me from being stung, but my Granddad never wore a bonnet or gloves and maintained it didn't hurt anymore! Huh!
Glad it worked out for you! Really wish I could have a couple hives now, but my neighbors would freak (we live in a small development). Oh, well!
Feb '10
Re: Beekeeper Dave to the Rescue
We buy a 5-gallon bucket of natural honey every year. It costs around $200 with shipping. Very interesting to know that it only takes one hive to make that much honey. I had always wondered how many bees gave their entire lives so I could sweeten my coffee and bread. They are certainly very industrious creatures!
Ricochet-- powered (at least in part) by bees!
Edited on Apr 22, 2011 at 2:31pm