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Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Drifter] #8404767
05/16/25 09:50 PM
05/16/25 09:50 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Originally Posted by Drifter
Used to be some black bees show up mentor said must be fron Dadant's Midnight strain they ran.


I wanted to try those midnight bees. I still remember the ads in Bee Culture, guy working bees in just shorts. IIRC they were Caucasian based or a Caucasian/Carni cross.


[Linked Image]
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8404772
05/16/25 09:54 PM
05/16/25 09:54 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
B
Bigbrownie Offline OP
trapper
Bigbrownie  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
I’ve kept a lot of strains of bees, but I like the mutt Italian bees from feral Pa colonies the best. Decent disposition, good honey makers. They do, however, tend to have bad robbing instincts The package Italian bees we get from Georgia, they do ok, but don’t seem to have the winter hardiness as our feral bees do. We hit 15 below last winter, with a lot of other cold weather. I did ok, but losses are high here. I think having feral stock improves my winter survival rates.

I can’t prove it, but I think our feral honeybees are dealing better with mites nowadays. In the last couple springs, I’ve been getting double the calls to pick up swarms. And I know of two bee trees that have over wintered colonies for the last five seasons. No mite treatments in those trees.

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8404823
05/16/25 11:02 PM
05/16/25 11:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Originally Posted by Bigbrownie
I’ve kept a lot of strains of bees, but I like the mutt Italian bees from feral Pa colonies the best. Decent disposition, good honey makers. They do, however, tend to have bad robbing instincts The package Italian bees we get from Georgia, they do ok, but don’t seem to have the winter hardiness as our feral bees do. We hit 15 below last winter, with a lot of other cold weather. I did ok, but losses are high here. I think having feral stock improves my winter survival rates.

I can’t prove it, but I think our feral honeybees are dealing better with mites nowadays. In the last couple springs, I’ve been getting double the calls to pick up swarms. And I know of two bee trees that have over wintered colonies for the last five seasons. No mite treatments in those trees.


I agree that feral are finding ways to hang on. We got some here that are definitely different than the commercial Italian stocks. I call them little brown bombers as they are darker and love to head butt. Pretty gentle and easy to work but not great honey makers. Mainly because they maintain small colonies and only brood up on a flow and shut down at the drop of a hat. I've seen them go broodless from June to August during our dearth. They are very frugal and go into winter with smaller clusters. I've had colonies go five years without treatment but I might pull a medium per year off of them. But they don't fare well in anything approaching a commercial yard with more than a dozen boxes in a yard. They get picked on and robbed out easier than others.


[Linked Image]
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405573
05/18/25 06:27 PM
05/18/25 06:27 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Washington State
H
humptulips Offline
trapper
humptulips  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Feb 2007
Washington State
Originally Posted by Bigbrownie
Originally Posted by humptulips

I once had 5 swarms join together in a cluster. I saw the first swarm start to settle into a tree and started to get my stuff together. Before it was over I watched 4 more swarms emit and join the first one. I use semi-deeps exclusively and it took 7 to get them all inside. It was quite an operation to move them away from the tree to a permanent location.

Were these 5 swarms coming from the same hive, or multiple hives?

5 swarms from 5 different colonies.

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405613
05/18/25 07:26 PM
05/18/25 07:26 PM
Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
T
Trapper Dahlgren Offline
trapper
Trapper Dahlgren  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2016
Michigan
yes it is, wow!!

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405641
05/18/25 08:40 PM
05/18/25 08:40 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
The old Dadant midnites precede my hands on experience. Only recall the name for most part as dad kept some. Back then our cousin ran dadants breeding program to produce them (and starlines) which is how we came by them. Don’t remember hearing what type of stock they originated from but carni and Caucasian would seem logical options

I had a few black German colonies brought back from the PA hills that were kept by grand father of friend of mine. They got mixed into my breeding pool at end of 90s. Back then I wouldn’t have labeled them as exactly friendly but pretty northern hardy which I appreciated. They had been very good in PA but once moved into a commercial migratory world like this state they definitely were stressed by both mites more than they’d seen in somewhat isolation. I still liked them.

In the orchard country during pollination it’s common here to see giant swarms that are from multiple colonies and will cover 8 foot tree from top to ground. Those orchard locations can have large colony counts with bees coming out of CA almonds and southern staging states so populations are exceptionally high making for gigantic swarms when the spring flow goes into overdrive and there are no supers on hives. I use to have some pictures that will try to find and post

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405653
05/18/25 08:53 PM
05/18/25 08:53 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Very SE Nebraska
G
Gary Benson Offline
trapper
Gary Benson  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Dec 2006
Very SE Nebraska
I haven't seen a wild hive of bees for 25 yrs or more. Good to know there's still some going out there. When younger and already stupid, my brother and I upset a hive of bees hanging on a cottonwood trees. We had bees all over us but neither of us got a single sting.

Last edited by Gary Benson; 05/18/25 08:54 PM.

Life ain't supposed to be easy.
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: BigBob] #8405654
05/18/25 09:00 PM
05/18/25 09:00 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Coldspring Texas
Savell Offline
"Wilbur"
Savell  Offline
"Wilbur"

Joined: Dec 2006
Coldspring Texas
Originally Posted by BigBob
How do you tell if they're Africanized or not?


…. If you catch them trying to steal your rims


Insert profound nonsense here
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405656
05/18/25 09:12 PM
05/18/25 09:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
B
Bigbrownie Offline OP
trapper
Bigbrownie  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
For the most part, a swarm of bee ( not AHB ) are very docile. First, they really have nothing to defend. Most honey bee aggression is displayed at or near its hive. It’s trying to defend its home. A swarm of honey bees are like a band of hobos….no home, don’t even know where they are going yet. Also, it’s physiologically hard for a swarming bee to actually sting you. Before swarming bees leave the parent hive, they’ll consume up to 80% of their body weight in honey. They’ll need it at their new home…using honey to make wax. The volume of honey they are packing makes it difficult for them to get their abdomen bent to plant its stinger. But a swarm that has been hanging on a limb for a few days ( called a dry swarm ) can be owly….the bees have consumed their lunch and are running out of patience.

I recall catching swarms with my uncle in the late 1960s. He’d wear no vail, no shirt, no gloves. He’d draw his trousers tight with a belt, and tuck his pants legs into his socks. He said the only way swarming bees would sting is if they got stuck in your clothes and got pinched.

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: BigBlackBirds] #8405657
05/18/25 09:15 PM
05/18/25 09:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
Originally Posted by BigBlackBirds
The old Dadant midnites precede my hands on experience. Only recall the name for most part as dad kept some. Back then our cousin ran dadants breeding program to produce them (and starlines) which is how we came by them. Don’t remember hearing what type of stock they originated from but carni and Caucasian would seem logical options

I had a few black German colonies brought back from the PA hills that were kept by grand father of friend of mine. They got mixed into my breeding pool at end of 90s. Back then I wouldn’t have labeled them as exactly friendly but pretty northern hardy which I appreciated. They had been very good in PA but once moved into a commercial migratory world like this state they definitely were stressed by both mites more than they’d seen in somewhat isolation. I still liked them.

In the orchard country during pollination it’s common here to see giant swarms that are from multiple colonies and will cover 8 foot tree from top to ground. Those orchard locations can have large colony counts with bees coming out of CA almonds and southern staging states so populations are exceptionally high making for gigantic swarms when the spring flow goes into overdrive and there are no supers on hives. I use to have some pictures that will try to find and post


I can't recall the name but I've spoken to your cousin then several times at state meetings.


[Linked Image]
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405660
05/18/25 09:32 PM
05/18/25 09:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
[Linked Image]


well I thought could find some better pics but this was closest i could find for a larger swarm in orchard pollination

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405662
05/18/25 09:38 PM
05/18/25 09:38 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
Here's just a public service announcement lol

What BigBrownie said about swarms being calm and docile is the norm for most places, etc. But if you happen to live in some states like this one, proceed with caution if you go looking to catch/move a swarm. As a kid we wouldnt think of even needing a veil to hive a swarm. Now I wouldnt consider trying to touch one that I just wandered onto in these parts without a full suit/veil/gloves and the smoker running. Most bees you run into here are going to be on the unpleasant side whether they are overwintered up here or migrated across the country. Things just have morphed alot over the last couple of decades

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: Bigbrownie] #8405665
05/18/25 09:39 PM
05/18/25 09:39 PM
Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
warrior Offline
trapper
warrior  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jan 2007
Georgia
We have alot of commercial yards parked on melons south of Macon. I've known of a few folks that have gone down there riding back roads along the fields with empty boxes in the back of the truck.


[Linked Image]
Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: BigBlackBirds] #8405666
05/18/25 09:40 PM
05/18/25 09:40 PM
Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
B
Bigbrownie Offline OP
trapper
Bigbrownie  Offline OP
trapper
B

Joined: Mar 2018
Pa.
Originally Posted by BigBlackBirds
[Linked Image]


well I thought could find some better pics but this was closest i could find for a larger swarm in orchard pollination

Chief Brody in the Jaws movie, when first seeing the shark…” We’re gonna need a bigger boat”.

When you see a swarm like that…..” We’re gonna need a bigger box”.

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: warrior] #8405675
05/18/25 10:03 PM
05/18/25 10:03 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
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BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
Originally Posted by warrior
We have alot of commercial yards parked on melons south of Macon. I've known of a few folks that have gone down there riding back roads along the fields with empty boxes in the back of the truck.


Here's a similar story. There's a "kid" from up here that got started in a similar fashion. The family is big blueberry grower and back then they contracted pollination. The young fellow spent a few summers working for the beekeeper while he was just a teen. He collected all of the local swarms that end up hanging in the berries during pollination and eventually got a pretty good sized operation. He was shipping loads to almonds when he was still too young to rent a vehicle while working them out in CA. He use to have to take cab from the motel to the almonds to work. He's no longer a kid and has become a pretty decent size commercial guy up here

FYI-- probably sounds odd to many of you but I'd say the vast majority of the time those swarms are not caught as no one even tries. Most of the guys arent even around when the colonies swarm and they just have so many other irons in the fire that swarm catching isnt on the "best use of time" agenda

Re: Really big bee swarm [Re: warrior] #8405678
05/18/25 10:08 PM
05/18/25 10:08 PM
Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
B
BigBlackBirds Offline
trapper
BigBlackBirds  Offline
trapper
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Joined: Oct 2016
Michigan
Originally Posted by warrior


I can't recall the name but I've spoken to your cousin then several times at state meetings.


sent you a message warrior

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