Finally late yesterday I got a call from a man who said there were bees clinging to the underside of his eaves. So off I went, so fast I forgot the camera again. The man (Mark) said they had been there for a few days. No longer a swarm, but a colony, I switched to plan B. Most of the bees were still clinging to the house siding, but I noticed that there were a lot of forage bees coming in and they were going under the trim board in about 4 places. I went back to the truck and got out the bee-vac and set up the ladders and began to vacuum up the bees. As I worked, less and less kept coming out from beneath the trim, but after about an hour and a half I was tired and called it quits for the night. By the time I wrapped things up there was only a handful of bees balled at the only entrance I hadn't sealed up. Last night in the dark, I transferred the bees into the sick hive ( having treated it twice with Oxalic acid fumes) which I had moved outside. Today I will go back and see whether to set up the trap or just vac up as many as I can get. I think they will abandon their new home as it seems much to small, and won't have any bees returning from foraging.
On another note, yesterday I met with Mike, formerly from the Staten Island Advance, who is doing a photo essay of the bees from NYC. He took pictures of the hives and bees and in the process I inspected the swarm hive by turning it upside down and inspecting from the bottom ( no chance to roll the queen) and he got some nice pictures of the bees on brand new comb without all that frame shit in the way. The queen has been laying as there were capped brood cells, although they are very sporadic so one of my new queens will go there. I guess the other will go to the new swarm, as they have none right now. No queen cells in the hive inspected, but will look at the package hive to see if they have one to spare.
Got another call from the same gentleman I visited last week that another larger swarm had settled in his back yard. This time I have the camera, and found them entwined in a rolled up chain link fence. It was a huge swarm, upwards of 20,000 bees but gentle as can be and I had them vac'd up in no time. Where to put these is the problem, I guess they will go with last nights catch. I also found the main nest in the back of a real seedy bar, don't know if I dare go in to ask permission to trap the hive. Checked on the eave bees and only saw 20-30 or so. Will vac tomorrow. Later
On another note, yesterday I met with Mike, formerly from the Staten Island Advance, who is doing a photo essay of the bees from NYC. He took pictures of the hives and bees and in the process I inspected the swarm hive by turning it upside down and inspecting from the bottom ( no chance to roll the queen) and he got some nice pictures of the bees on brand new comb without all that frame shit in the way. The queen has been laying as there were capped brood cells, although they are very sporadic so one of my new queens will go there. I guess the other will go to the new swarm, as they have none right now. No queen cells in the hive inspected, but will look at the package hive to see if they have one to spare.
Got another call from the same gentleman I visited last week that another larger swarm had settled in his back yard. This time I have the camera, and found them entwined in a rolled up chain link fence. It was a huge swarm, upwards of 20,000 bees but gentle as can be and I had them vac'd up in no time. Where to put these is the problem, I guess they will go with last nights catch. I also found the main nest in the back of a real seedy bar, don't know if I dare go in to ask permission to trap the hive. Checked on the eave bees and only saw 20-30 or so. Will vac tomorrow. Later
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