Another Swarm Call!

On Monday, Mark caught a swarm in Brooksville.  He was able to back up his pickup underneath the peach tree they were in, spray them with sugar water (so they couldn't fly away), and gently scoop them into a hive box.

He set them up on the second set of steps in our car port. The boards on top were insurance against the big storm that blew through Monday night.  The weather didn't bother the bees, as they have steadily drained the bee tea jar daily.

This hive was intended to be BB2, but today Mark received a phone call from local beekeeper Birney Imes. He'd gotten a call about a swarm in Columbus and had all the bees he wanted. So Mark went to town, found he could once again back up to the swarm hanging in a white oak tree, and relocate them to a hive box. He drove it straight to the Barhams', moved the feeder from BB1 to the new hive, and came home.  Once he relocates this car port hive, the Barhams will have their limit of bees!

Thanks, Birney!

Back Saver 1000 Bee Hive Stands Installed at Barhams' Bees

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our friends Eldon and Frances Barham allowed us to put three Back Saver 1000 bee hive stands near their lake.  Before we set them up, and I use the term "we" liberally, Mark cleared the spot with his weed eater.

Next, he used his compass to find east/southeast so the hive entrances could face the rising sun. The warmth helps them rise and shine!

Next, he measured so the stands would be spaced equal distances apart.  (Can you say OCD?)

Andrew waited at the truck until he was needed to perform a special task.

The Great Balancing Act: Andrew stood on a board while Mark whacked the stand into the ground. It took great trust, considering Mark forgot a mallet and was using an axe. After I shot these pictures I stood by Andrew so he had something besides Mark's head to hold onto. They were both happier with that arrangement.

When the bubble hit level on both at the front and back and lengthwise, we were done.

It's a good thing we put in three . . . as you can read in a future post!

A Swarm Call!

I called Mark on my lunch break, as he'd sent a text that he was going to get a swarm.

Fortunately, this time we are 100% sure it's not one of ours!

He's in Brooksville, in a very rural area.  Local beekeeper Art Potter (who helped inspect our hives last year) called Mark to alert him to the swarm.  It appears the home owner had called for Art to remove the bees from a barn or other outbuilding, and while Art waited for warmer weather, the bees decided to swarm so he's letting Mark have them.  Thanks Art!

The plan is to bring this hive to our carport area and set them up on some brick steps we don't use, then move them to the Barhams' bee yard in a few days or after we're sure they're off to a good start.

Remember these tips if you see a swarm in your yard.  If you're in the Golden Triangle area of Mississippi and have a swarm of bees, call Mark at 662-418-4422.

Introducing a New Bee Yard and Hive: Barhams' Bees 1

We're blessed with fabulous friends who support our passion for bees.  Eldon and Frances Barham let us set up three "Back Saver 1000" stands on the opposite side of their lake in the middle of March (and I have an entire post of pictures to share about that process eventually). Remember that swarm call on March 22nd? Those bees ended up with lakeside accommodations, with both ag fields and one of the finest gardens I've ever seen near enough to supply their every need.

Waterfront Property for the Bees.

We paid the bees a visit this afternoon to check and see how they were doing.  Mark has fed them bee tea twice, and today the jar was empty.  He traded the jar for a round feeder he picked up last week at Rossman (that's another post too!).  But before we put it on, we decided to check and see if we could see wax, brood, etc.

So, here is BB1 as Frances and I decided to call it.  

Above the deep hive body there is a feeder board that has an entrance hole so bees can go in  at the top or bottom or the hive.  We noticed the yellow stain from pollen hitting the board as they fly in. The bee on the right is loaded up with pollen.

Eldon Barham, who really wants to get closer to see what is going on.

My dear friend Frances, who sat in Mark's truck to watch the proceedings. Eldon was stung once years ago and had a terrible reaction, so she's not thrilled with Eldon's fascination with the bees at this point, but thinks they're far away enough from the house to be permitted to stay.

Mark fired up the smoker, just in case. It was sunny but very windy, and the bees have stung him repeatedly both times he's come out to feed them.

A bonus bug sighting! This grasshopper was soaking up some sun on the metal cover.

This is the first frame we pulled out.  The bees are grouped around open, uncapped honey/nectar. Notice the yellow pollen stains on the tops of the frames closest to the entrance!

I backed up to get a shot of Mark working and was excited to see so many bees and some solid yellow, capped brood.

This is when we got really excited.  That appears to be solid capped brood, with uncapped brood just below it (the white mushy stuff is bee larvae!).  They're also storing pollen around the edges of the brood (the gold stuff on the bottom).  Mark said, "I bet this is one of our high dollar queens who swarmed off."  Often when a swarm leaves, the queen is older and needs to be replaced. But this one is doing a fantastic job.  I saw her before Mark did, which always tickles me. I love finding the queen! (If you click on any of the photos, you should be able to see larger versions of the pictures.)

It's no big surprise these bees are thriving, because everyone who comes to the Barhams' house is pampered and fed well.  Eldon wanted us to take home some frozen figs and corn, but we knew we weren't going home soon, so we had to turn him down. 

We spent the next several hours on bee-related tasks, but that's a story for another day, as we were putting up swarm traps and looking at a tear-out in someone's house.

Bees in Arizona

Mark's eldest son, Robert, and his lovely girlfriend Danielle (Hi! We miss you!) went hiking in the desert recently.

 Pollinators and other winged creatures are taking flight as spring transforms the earth and blue skies beckon.  Check out those contrails! It was a beautiful day for a flight.

Robert has a fascination with all things crittery, and the Lewis family loves to tell stories about him and his adventures.  "I'd come home and if there was a box with a rock and a piece of paper on it, I knew not to get in it," Mark says.  "Usually there would be some kind of snake or lizard . . . he was always bringing home something from the woods or river."  Feral piglets. Poisonous snakes. No big deal. Robert is also a great photographer.

One of my favorite pictures of Robert was taken when he was about 10 and is wearing beekeeping gear.  He's watching a honey bee crawl on his gloved hand and looks so happy.  I'm excited that he's interested in pursuing a degree in entomology here at Mississippi State so we'll have our very own bee expert in the family. In the meantime, we have to settle for great photos of bees who will make some delicious sage honey.

Got Bees? What To Do When You Find a Swarm!

Text from Mark: Fixing to attempt a swarm catch.

Text back: Wish I could go with you! Can Andrew take photos?

He called.  "Andrew is in town, running errands."

Keri: "Where are you headed?  Who called? How exciting!"

Mark:  "They're probably our bees.  I'm going to Mel's."  (Our neighbor who owns a tomato farm down the road.)

Keri: "Oh." (Imagine a balloon deflating.)

Bees swarm.  It's a fact of life.  The big build-up in population results in the rearing of new queens, one of which will triumph over the others.  The original queen bee will be prepared by the workers for leaving (in a rigorous process explained in fascinating detail in Honeybee Democracy).  Then the "mother" of the usurper will swarm away with thousands of worker bees, leaving the hive to her offspring.

So, what do you do if you find a swarm of bees hanging around your home or yard?  Please don't call an exterminator!

Options for Dealing with Swarms

• Call a local beekeeper.  If you're using local honey (like you know you should!), call your honey provider!
• You can find information online at Honey Run Apiaries using your zip code. (I just submitted our info.)
• Call your local County Extension office, NRCS office, co-op, or farm supply store. They usually have a list of local beekeepers interested in catching swarms.
• If you live in Southern California, you can call the Backwards Beekeepers Bee Rescue hotline: (213) 373-1104.
• Leave them alone and let them relocate on their own.  They know what they're doing, and given time will move on.  It just depends on their location and your level of tolerance.

If you live in the Golden Triangle region of MS and need a bee swarm removed, call Mark at 662.418.4422!

Advice on Preventing Swarms from Taking Up Residence in Your Walls
 
If you are a homeowner, be sure to seal up any small holes in the exterior of your home as well as any outbuildings you have.  Bees love to find sheds, barns, old buildings, etc. and build comb in the spaces between the frames and sheet rock.  This is a good time of year to do some home maintenance and avoid having bees take up residence in your walls.  Some beekeepers will do "cut outs," meaning they will remove whatever walls are necessary and take out the bees, comb, etc.  This is messy, time consuming, and may require the payment of a fee, but is much better than killing the bees, leaving the mess in the walls for mice and other bugs to try to eat, etc.

Update on Today's Swarm:

Mark: "I've got the bees and we're headed to the Barhams'.  They weren't in a spot I could shake them off into the box, but I'm pretty determined now to get some swarm catching boxes."

Spring Expansion as Bee Population Explodes

Hive 6 with its newly added, painted deep super.

On Friday, Mark decided to check the bees without me.

Hive 1 -- see how many bees were in the air?

After the chaotic addition of supers due to the population explosion and discovery of brood built between the boxes, he called me.  I rushed home from work, took notes on the three remaining hives, and snapped pictures. 

Brood built in the wrong place = dead baby bees. Gross.

In short, he added a deep and medium super to hives 1, 5, & 6.  Moved a feeder from 5 to 2.  We'll add deeps to the others this week. 

Empty brace comb = wasted effort for the bees, more wax for candles.

Empty supercedure cell = possibility they requeened themselves.

Hive 5 needs re-leveling after the flood!

Three expanded hives, with some lost bees on the back of Hive 1.

When we checked the hives Saturday, the difference in temperament was amazing: the formerly aggressive hives had settled noticeably and were making use of their new space. What's fascinating is that in some hives, they haven't filled all of the frames with wax/comb, yet they'll build brace comb on the tops and bottoms of frames where they congregate.  Mark said, "I'm sure glad I have those back saver bee stands," as working in those conditions without any help was a bit of a challenge. Maybe next time he'll wait for me!