Subject: Can we get our swarm back?

From: [email-masked] (John or Sonja Hoxeng)
Date: 5 Jul 1996 18:06:45 GMT

Hello,

     Yesterday one of our hives swarmed.  We were able to follow them for
about 1/4 mile and then lost them in heavey brush and woods.  I was 
wondering how far a swarm might go before they settle down.  Most of my
books say not very far or some other unexact thing. I want some kind of
range so I know if it is worth combating devil's club and vine maple to
try and find them.  If we do find them could we coax them into hive 
bodies by leaving some nearby with drawn comb or do we have to actually
catch them?  I think they might have been in a bit of a panic because
about 1/2 hour before they swarmed we had started a fire in our burn
barrel which was near some hive bodies with drawn comb which my husband
bought a few days before and hadn't stored yet.  I suspect the bees had
planned to move into these hive bodies and paniced when they encountered
the smoke from the fire. Any ideas?  Thanks...  
                                               Sonja

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From: [email-masked] (Craig Wynn)
Date: Sun, 07 Jul 1996 02:22:53 GMT

On 5 Jul 1996 18:06:45 GMT, [email-masked] (John or Sonja Hoxeng) wrote:

>about 1/4 mile and then lost them in heavey brush and woods. 
It is very likely that they have already moved assuming a night has
gone by since they swarmed. I'd be more concerned that the hive they
swarmed from isn't getting set to issue another swarm! Better be
checking your literature on swam control.
> I was 
>wondering how far a swarm might go before they settle down. 
It all depends on what they decide is suitable to serve has a home.
Mind you they quite often make a bad choice. Variables such as weather
also can play a role. If it should rain or turn cold they may setttle
right down in the limb of a tree or the overhand of a roof. If the
weather is not a factor they could take several flights following the
route of the greatest number of returning scouts. I think it is
generally  a one ort two day event at the most.
>Most of my

I'd have a spare hive box ready and  set in high place near your
hives. You could get lucky and they'd swarm into it. Their are various
methods suggested in the literature that reduce the liklyhood of
swarms. I'll leave that to you to read up on or for someone else to
comment on.

I use to use a large funnel made form tin that I'd hold under swarms
hanging from branches. I'd snap the branch and funnel them right into
a shipping box I had save.  If it is possible to get close enough you
can study the swam and catch the queen.  You can gently probe the swam
and listen for a high pitched buzz from her to locate her. I was quite
successful catching many a swams in Africa using the above preceeding
methods.

craig