Yep, they came this afternoon, and made a big basketball sized blob on the post in the calf pen. Right where I feed the calves! They are only 2 feet off the ground, so they are an easy sweep for someone who wants them. All our beekeepers say they are getting lots of calls right now. I have 2 more who hopefully will want them.

One guy said they were "resting" for the night and might leave in the morning. Is that true? There is no protection right there for them at all. He also said they are not aggressive because they have no honey to protect. Is that right? They have all settled on the post brace for the night. There was a huge cloud of them, like a tornado swirling down to the post for a couple hours.

We lured the calves out of that pasture with the nipple buckets and put them across the yard into the other pasture for now. None of the bees bothered us at all. My dog went right up to the blob and sniffed it, as it is something that is not ususally there. He didn't get stung either. I called him away and put him in the house!

The bee guy said he would give me an old box if I wanted it, but I don't know nothing about bees. I wish they would find an old stump out on the edge of the woods to live, and stay close. So are they just resting? Or is this a real problem. What time do they take off if they are resting? Thanks all of you bee guys and gals.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 19, 2001

Answers

May take off, may not. The longer they are there, the hungrier/more aggressive they will get. No beekeepers willing to come and get them? Can you call your local county extension and see if they know of any clubs or beekeepers that will give you a hand?

Weebus

-- Laura (LauraMLeek@yahoo.com), July 19, 2001.

Cindy- Don't worry about the bees- they shouldn't bother you and they will probably be gone by tomorrow. They have swarmed from their hive and are looking for a spot to build a new one. Before leaving the old hive they will have stuffed themselves with honey and are only interested in locating their new home. While the main swarm, with queen, rests on your post, they have sent out "scout" bees to find a new location for them. They have only eaten enough honey to last a few days, and they also need the honey make the wax to build new comb for their new hive, so they will be anxious to get started. They will not stay in an exposed place for very long. Your beeman was right- they have no home to defend, which will also keep them from being aggressive, for a while. Keep the dogs and kids away and they will be gone soon. I hived my first swarm 2 days ago. They landed on the ground first, then moved up in to a tree. I had to stand on top of the truck cab to reach them. When I shook the branch most of the bees missed the bucket I was holding and I found myself standing in the middle of thousands of falling bees- not a single one tried to sting me. Some beekeepers won't bother with swarms this late, but I'd be happy to have them if I were near you. Good luck, and don't worry.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), July 19, 2001.

That's really interesting. Why would the bees leave a hive allready all fixed up and all? Does it get too crowded or old, or are they looking for new sources of pollen? I have thousands of Zinnias flowering now, do they like them? I have read allot of your threads on bees but I still don't know too much about them.

What kind of place are they looking for? A tree hole way up high or something like that?

I did call the County Control, and they gave me some numbers. I'm still waiting on a couple calls back. One guy said that's a small to medium size swarm, but being it's only 2 feet off the ground, would be tempting for some bee people. He would take it but he is busy and full up. He said if they were still here after 7 pm they would stay for the night. Will be really interesting to watch them take off.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 19, 2001.

Swarming is how they multiply. If the old hive gets too crowded, the workers raise a few new queens, then when they are about to hatch, the old queen takes off with a swarm of workers. Sometimes when the new queens hatch out there will be other swarms as those young queens take a swarm of workers to a new place. I work at a nursery and have not noticed that the bees are partial to zinnias, but they are more likely to work something that there is lots of since each harvest worker collects nectar from the same type of plant all day long. Bees are fascinating.

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), July 19, 2001.

Cindy, It may too late by the time you get in touch with someone, but you really want to get a beekeeper to hive that swarm or they may decide to move into your attic or garden shed or any other cozy place nearby. Colonies have been established inside walls, under floors, inside attics, all sorts of places. I once heard of a massive colony in an attic that came crashing through the ceiling during a heat wave that melted the comb enough that it came loose from the rafters. In the wild they will inhabit old stumps or snags, but they would really prefer the shelter of a cozy nook in one of your outbuildings. Good Luck!

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), July 19, 2001.

Nothing is as awesome (and scary) as seeing the sky filled with bees swarming, or how they act getting ready to swarm. But, you haven't lived until you catch a swarm for your own. I spritz them first with sugar water in a spray bottle, keeps them calm and gives them something to eat. I slip a 5-gallon bucket underneath and it is so easy if they are hanging.

-- Scott (Farmerwebb@hotmail.com), July 19, 2001.

I know one thing! Don't rob a bee hive at night with a flashlite!

-- Russell Hays (rhays@sstelco.com), July 19, 2001.

Well, I talked to another beekeeper this morning and he said he'd come get them if they were still there about noon. He said it's too late in the year for beekeepers to be interested in obtaining them, as they don't have enough time left to make honey to last thru the winter. He said it takes about 60 pounds of honey to keep them alive. He would come get them out of my way though, just as a favor.

I know we need to protect these bees, as they are being killed off with all the pesticides and sprays, and without bees, we really won't have much food to speak of. He agreed, but still said they won't make it thru the winter now. I would think you could give them something to eat in the box, but then again, I don't know zip about it. Sad if true.

He said they probably won't go into the attic, but you never know with bees. I'm gonna watch them and see, and I hope they stay till he can get here. At least with a beekeeper, they might have a chance. Maybe he could put a handfull in each of his boxes and spread them out, and just save the queen somewhere's else. ?? They are just hanging there this morning sleeping real calm. The sun isn't shining yet because it's real misty and foggy still.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 20, 2001.

Cindy, the keeper was right about the swarm overwintering. That's the reason May swarms are more valuable. The bees have time to build their comb and fill it with honey and pollen for the winter. I too, captured a swarm last week. I put them on drawn out comb, not foundation, and we have a good honey flow going this year from the clover. I checked them Saturday, and gave them another hive body. (also comb) They had filled the super 1/4 full of honey. So, I have great hopes for them. The beekeeper could also take the bees, dispose of the queen, and add them to a weak hive to help out.

-- Judy C. Vaughan (whileaway3@cs.com), July 20, 2001.

A Reverand, who is a beekeeper, is comming to get them now. Yeah. He has lots of boxes and bees. He asked if he could leave the box here after he put them in it, and come back tonight or in the am and close it up. That way the rest will go in there this evening, and he'll put a screen over it. He said they won't bother me. The bees are still there, and it is still overcast and cloudy, so that's good. Will let you know how the adventure continues! You girls are a lot braver than I am! Good for you!

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 20, 2001.

He came and boy was that interesting. He brought a box, and it had 4 new beeswax things in it. He held the box under the blob and swept them off into it with a hand broom. It took a while, boy were they flying around then! I was a ways away keeping the little buck goats from bugging him and the bees. It was kinda scary, but they stayed over by him and the box and post. Yes I did crawl over the fence as to not have to go back thru the gate!

He had to keep getting the bees off the post that kept landing back, but finially he got the queen in the box. Now all that is on the post is about a cup full of bees. There are still a few flying around there, and I'm staying away from them! He's going to come back early in the morning to get the box. It's in the calf pen, so it's safe from the critters. I hope they stay as the sun is comming out now. Every once in a while, one comes over to check me out, but I put on a white T shirt so as not to irritate them! He said they sometimes like to take it out on somebody.

He said he was going to put 6 more beeswax things in at home and feed them sugar water in feeders so they will make it thru the winter. He said they are 4 striped Italian bees. He said they were very pretty bees, thousands of them.

Now, as long as the scouts don't come back and report a better place before tomorrow morning, they will stay in the box. They will have a good home with him. He has bee boxes all over the place. And I'm going to be getting some honey in the morning! Cross your fingers now that they stay.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 20, 2001.

The bees were good and stayed in the box and are on the way home now. Only a few are left here, and he said they will leave. He said the box of bees will be quite mad when he gets home, and he'll have to take the screen off and run! They sure were making a loud noise in there in the back of his truck.

We got a beautiful jar of honey with the comb inside. I am so pleased that these beautiful bees won't die over the winter! And I am also thankful they did not go into our attic!

Now we can bring the calves back over to their pasture this morning, they are not pleased over in the pen. They like to run all around the field kicking up their heels. Thanks all you bee guys and gals, now I know allot more about bees.

-- Cindy in KY (solidrockranch@msn.com), July 21, 2001.