A Fun Day Beekeeping as a Couple | Swarm Catching

Today the apiary expanded - we caught TWO swarms in a single day. Both were in trees, with the first being probably the easiest capture I've ever done - aside from catching them in traps. The second one, took two tries before I was able to get the queen in the box.
Swarming is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a colony of honeybees becomes overcrowded and needs to find a new home. When this happens, the queen bee, along with about half of the worker bees, leave the hive in search of a new location to build a new nest.
Before leaving, the bees gorge themselves on honey to sustain them during their journey. The queen bee is usually the first to leave the hive, followed by a large group of worker bees. This group is called the primary swarm.
The primary swarm will often cluster on a nearby object, such as a tree branch, while scouts are sent out to search for a suitable location for the new hive. Once a location is found and agreed upon, the primary swarm will move to the new location and begin building a new nest.
In some cases, the original colony may produce secondary swarms, which are smaller groups of bees that leave the hive after the primary swarm. These secondary swarms may also cluster on nearby objects while scouts search for a suitable location.
Swarming is a natural and important part of the honeybee life cycle, as it allows colonies to reproduce and expand their territory. However, it can also be a disruptive event for beekeepers and nearby residents, as swarms can be large and intimidating. If you encounter a swarm of bees, it's important to stay calm and keep a safe distance. It's also a good idea to contact a local beekeeper for assistance in safely removing the swarm.
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[@Mrssarandy]

I'm so grateful for y'all's channel. There's so many YT videos on homesteading when they aren't, farming when they aren't, etc. Rachel and Todd- you both are refreshing and always truthful!

[@kathy3178]

My husband and daughter are beekeepers. So far they have caught 2 swarms and possibly a 3rd. They really enjoy it. My daughter is doing her 4-H presentation on bees and helping with a bee class this summer.

[@kellyhawes9293]

Thank you for taking such great care of the 🐝 bees! 7 hives are amazing to have. ❤

[@jonesfamily9119]

This is exactly how my husband and I catch swarms. It is usually when they are the calmest so he is normally in a suit as he has developed an allergy and I am usually in shorts and sandals and not worried. There have been times that he is gone when I find one and I have caught them in my shorts and sandals and no problems. Love that sweet golden nectar! Makes it all worth it!

[@greenlady43]

Thank you for saving the bees, so necessary for our planet. And thank you for all the bird songs!

[@marking-time-gardens]

Awesome as always! Thank you for sharing this great experience with the bees! Blessings on your day Kiddos!🥰🌻🐛

[@marilyncapehart663]

No thanks to the bee 🐝 5-15-2023❤. Todd you are Crazy Man you got what you wanted., do your thing 👍🏽👍🏽

[@charlenegrady8781]

Wow great job. Very interesting. I’ve heard of swarming but never seen it. Thanks for sharing✌️🇺🇸❤️

[@valeriewright8280]

An experienced beekeeper told us novice beekeeper that swarms will be attracted to locations that have had swarms in the past. So keep an eye on those areas in the future for more swarms!

[@michelewilliams6241]

Thanks for sharing. I want to raise bees so bad but that's the 1 thing Im having a hard time figuring out. Usually I just watch enough KZbin videos and i can do it. Such a wonderful talent to have. Great capture

[@sheliaheverin8822]

I had to have my neighbor come over last year and collect a swarm. It was fun to watch

[@liancabastian6732]

That was awesome to watch. Of course, I was nervous for you both😂❤

[@brens7094]

Amazing. Loved this video!! I did stick til the end just like the bees! 💜

[@suedalimonte7863]

You are so good with the bees. I would be in a panic with them all over me.

[@kaesmomFitz]

Those bee swarms are the stuff of nightmares! I love bees for the work they do, but don't want to be anywhere near them!

[@suesmargiassi4195]

Thanks for taking us along for the catch. We had a large swarm in one of our oak trees years ago. They hung out for 2 days, then found a better home.

[@Maranatha_Homestead]

I have bees too here in Wisconsin and love seeing your bee videos.

[@JasminePalmer-x4f]

I love that you guys are doing bee keeping! My mom is a certified master bee keeper in Georgia. I was watching your video and wanted to share a tip. I saw the bees attack you and noticed you had on a black sweater and hat, bees really don’t like black fabrics it angers them and they are more likely to attack if you are wearing that color. 🐝❤️ Love your videos. Thank you so much for teaching me how to can foods!

[@gretroman8235]

Glad to see so many bees but at a distance. I remember when bee colonies were dying and we need them for pollination. I just never saw swarms in person, only on TV or KZbin.

[@Nancy-zk9dj]

Very interesting, I've never seen bees swarm like that. How nice to have too many bees! You guys are fun! ❤❤

[@shirleyjensen417]

Wow! Loved this. ♥️🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝

[@carollange9684]

So cool! My grandpa used to keep bees!! Love watching all your adventures! 🐝

[@donnanorman340]

It was very nice of you to help your friend out with her garden. Must of made you happy to get your hands dirty. 😂

[@faithopeloveful]

Wow! Way to go! I always keep Apis Mellifica 200C around for bee stings. I found it works within a minute to reduce the pain. I have lots of grandchildren that I have tested this on. It is a homeopathic remedy!

[@CJ-vt9eu]

Brave brave and bravo

[@Angela_Alaimo]

Congratulations on catching a swarm!🙂

[@debwhitmore2574]

Fascinating but I was holding my breath at times!

[@shamancarmichael5305]

What an interesting video! Thank you for showing us a different side to beekeeping! 🐝

[@joeyhardin1288]

I had to climb all the trees for my grandfather. Great video. Thank you. God Bless and stay safe.

[@rhondal7590]

Wow Amazing. Thanks for sharing that, I haven't watched bee stuff before

[@hann3671]

I respect you greatly for catching bees! I absolutely love honey but would be scared to death to do what you are doing.

[@cynthiafisher9907]

That’s really cool! You’re so clam with them and that’s good. I think it would freak me out. Maybe we will see about getting bees in a year or two, that would be nice to have them for pollinating and for the honey.

[@blessedbeyondmeasure318]

Oh my goodness, I can't believe you stuck your bare hand in that hive!

[@haou132]

Bravo !!! Blessings +++!!!

[@malisajohnson7250]

Get Rachel a suit if she doesn't have one. I got worried when she dropped the camera.

[@BUTTEWORKS]

I just started beekeeping, can't wait to catch my first swarm. Great video!

[@tonijohnson7132]

I'm now excited for your future honey harvest.

[@ranakacir3893]

This was really cool to watch and so informative.

[@jackienoel2864]

this was so interesting, but scary!! I was worried when I saw you had on sandals Rachel!

[@rainspringing]

That was just exhilarating and fascinating! Two swarms, caught with gentle determination and persistence! Rachel was very loving and brave to accompany, plus assist. I'd be calm. Then go inside later and have a slight meltdown. Especially after shaking out the pine limbs, and that less-calm group on the Bradford pear. Reactive to various stings, not sure if that stretches to honeybees. We so rarely see even one of those. Always curious if occasional honeybee stings could make all the hornet, jacket and wasp stings eventually stop being so dramatic. At least the swelling, pain and heating of my affected limb. For a week at a time. That gets old and tiresome with new individuals every year. 😅By the middle of the year, most of them tolerate me, with only a few doing little flaring or warning buzzes, when I'm shoulder deep in 'their' vegetable plants. Harvesting and such. Those first few of spring are just the shoot first types. I realize removing certain pests from the garden plants can seem like I'm robbing their food, but they just don't eat things like stink bugs often enough!

[@PureLace]

So cool! Glad you kept going in your bee ventures!

[@Finnswife3]

That’s so cool! I’m so bummed we can’t pursue our dream. 🐝 🐝

[@colinvoss8484]

Yes it's that time of year I caught one the other day.

[@latigress1959]

Wow I wish I had 10 bees let alone that many... you are so lucky :)

[@trophy_husband]

You guys are so awesome, you inspired me to try my take on a spicy mustard. Turned out great! Now bee knowledge? Awesome, my "beekeping for dummies" book arrived last week! 😊 What an incredible team you guys are, also we are looking into a flow hive.

[@bridgettemattos680]

I love how calm you are. I really want to get into new keeping myself.

[@Monkchip]

I was thinking, that when you began mowing the lawn, the bees were feeding on the clovers and whatever other small flowers in the yard and the mower scared then to the tree for protection ❤

[@lori3488]

Thank you for this awesome video! Both of you are always so calm😊

[@azdesertrat9104]

Wow! I could NEVER handle bees at all! You have to bee very passionate about bees to handle them the way you do. Great job! I've just heard too many horror stories about Africanized bees that attack people that have led to death! As a result, I do my best to keep my distance to the greatest degree possible! 😊

[@cynthiafisher9907]

I don’t think they’ve made it that far north.

[@stschubs]

courageous rachel! I'd be so out out of there

[@junegalluzzi4042]

They are all back up there and they are all pissed off severely,lol

[@suzanmccarroll5489]

No way! No way! I know bees are beneficial but I’ll leave them to the keepers.

[@jennbama]

I will have nightmares tonight. 😳 totally amazing though

[@cindyupton7357]

Oh my Stars Todd. That’s so crazy!! Yikes.

[@sassycat9871]

You are one brave man😊

[@sherrywood8693]

Beekeeping is a lot of work, but rewarding for the honey 🍯

[@alicialord2717]

Ya'll got a much different definition of "fun" than I do... xD

[@StonewallJackson-n8w]

A little honey in the box and they will walk right in.

[@hitchhikerfromanothergalaxy]

That is one big swarm! I loved catching swarms and was on the swarm call list for our county when we lived in Indiana. That 2nd swarm was hard to get. Not sure aI would have tried that one. Got badly stung by some of my own aggressive hive (Russian variety) and now allergic to stings and have to carry epipen.

[@judydrouhard2651]

CONGRATULATIONS.

[@bremarie2332]

If you use a bit of water on the bees it’s easier to put all inside the Box without flying up.

[@charlenequinilty7252]

That is so cool.

[@sharondore2792]

I admire you two for saving the bees and how your determination gets so much honey in the end. But there is no way in _____ I would be within hundred foot of those bees. Of course, I’m not fond of honey either! Great video

[@KC-oo7yk]

Wow!

[@kramitdreams]

We caught our first swarm this season today 🐝

[@monteapiechocki4588]

Very cool

[@kellyharbaugh9391]

I rake up some pine straw when I work the hives.

[@CBOWERMAN]

Hello from Texas! I love watching you two so much that I worked my way through this episode even though it made me so nervous my husband asked me more than a few times if I was okay. I'm allergic to bees, so I've tried very hard throughout my life to stay as far away from a swarm as possible, but seeing how at ease the two of you were with them was definitely a learning experience. I was terrified when they went after her and she dropped the camera, but was happy to see that she was okay. Thank you so much for sharing your lives with us - I look forward to all of your videos and love to learn new things from you both.

[@sandrad682]

Everything is pretty and green. So cool to see the bee catching process! You really pissed them off though. Great job guys!!!

[@user-hq3gn5xy3m]

So brave you are….😮

[@lindashively2530]

How on earth did you learn how to do this?! Wow!

[@tracyzabelle]

❤

[@emptynestgardens9057]

That first swarm was so chill. How come you didn't use smoke on the second swarm?

[@kellyharbaugh9391]

I think the smoke makes them try to go into the hive it might be helpful to use

[@lorimcmichael5846]

Yeah nope, nope- not gonna bee for me- heart started racing just listening to them buzz 🐝 nope, nope not for me!

[@debbiealtman5373]

I could no way mess with bees.

[@OldCritters]

👍💞

[@glennsnaturalhoney4571]

I tossed my bee brush in the trash. Bees hate it. I hold a used frame or ez-nuc next to the trunk and the bees will walk on. A 4 to 5 gallon bucket is easier to hold up there than a 10 frame box. Shke them in and then pour the. On the ground I. Front of the hive.

[@kaygalloway4315]

Why didn’t you use the smoke to help keep them calm?

[@lisapop5219]

Im highly allergic and this is terrifying!

[@kellyharbaugh9391]

I have a few hives

[@scottfoss716]

Hey, this is no Mow MAY.

[@luannemccallister9642]

That would freak me the hell out. I've seen other videos where they use smoke when they have to work with the bees. Is there a reason you don't do that? Just curious, I know nothing about this. =) I would love to have the honey, just not the bees. Thanks for sharing.

[@mauricesmith9560]

HOW COULD TELL THE QUEEN WASN'T THERE

[@suesmargiassi4195]

From what I understand, the bees surround the queen when outside of the hive...like in a swarm situation. If the queen was in the box, the rest of the bees would have been in there also. Since the bees all went back to the tree after Todd's first attempt, it means the queen was still on the tree.

[@1870s]

The first time when I brushed them, if the queen would have went into the box, all the remaining bees would have followed her. The second time, the queen did go into the box, which is why all the remaining bees on the tree followed her into the box. In theory, if I could locate just the queen on the tree and pluck her off and move her to the box, that entire cluster of bees would have moved into the box all on their own just to be with her. Where she goes, they go.

[@junegalluzzi4042]

Those bees give me the squirms,I hate bees,lol

[@PYehl1]

are you using the BeeSmart lids on your hives? Kind of looked like them as you walked past at the end - been thinking about upgrading to those.

[@1870s]

Yes, pretty sure that's what they are. Solid hard plastic - they seem to work great. I think this is my 3rd season with them.

[@wendyr435]

I hear swarms fly over this time of year. I had bees a few years ago but there really isn’t enough nectar to sustain them. They died out and I won’t do bees again. That was pretty sad.

[@cynthiafisher9907]

You can grow lots of flowers for them or clover.

[@badwolf_gtv7725]

i believe there is also a bee feeder u can get too i seen it from another youtube channel but not really sure

[@mauricesmith9560]

WOW l GUESS YOU DO GET STUNG ,YOU DON'T USE SMOKE

[@1870s]

Of course, we get stung a few times a year. It happens. But not from not using smoke in this situation. It wouldn't have helped much out in the open like this. No beekeepers really use smoke when catching swarms in trees.

[@Challway]

Why do they do that swarming? Why don’t they just stay in the hives? Or are these bees just wild

[@1870s]

Swarming is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a colony of honeybees becomes overcrowded and needs to find a new home. When this happens, the queen bee, along with about half of the worker bees, leave the hive in search of a new location to build a new nest. Before leaving, the bees gorge themselves on honey to sustain them during their journey. The queen bee is usually the first to leave the hive, followed by a large group of worker bees. This group is called the primary swarm. The primary swarm will often cluster on a nearby object, such as a tree branch, while scouts are sent out to search for a suitable location for the new hive. Once a location is found and agreed upon, the primary swarm will move to the new location and begin building a new nest. In some cases, the original colony may produce secondary swarms, which are smaller groups of bees that leave the hive after the primary swarm. These secondary swarms may also cluster on nearby objects while scouts search for a suitable location. Swarming is a natural and important part of the honeybee life cycle, as it allows colonies to reproduce and expand their territory.

[@sandytmobile4467]

Bee keeping is a expensive hobby. I buy a pint for $16.00 now my Honey Bee Man is only making for hobby . Jar's, labels, cleaning honey, cleaning hive, wax cleaning, sugar to feed bee's and if they run out of honey from long winter buying pollen, And placing his hives to gas to all the time. And he's only making that on a sale. But like he says he loves them it's a hobby and he love the medicine just like we do. From taking my blackberry Honey and it has other and I get wildflower is our area blow's pollen all over people coughing, eyes itching, skin scratches, yep doing my honey haven't had a problem for 16 year's and I hope my honey man keeps it up or I'm in trouble. Yum so many cooking sauces Chinese, barbeque, cakes, cookies, Ect please by local.

[@mauricesmith9560]

DO YOU EVER GET STUNG ?

[@chuck7298]

I could use a 2nd hive

[@Jemrose13]

What about no mow May? No judgement just want the education. Is it more of a city thing? I live in a very urban area so maybe that’s the difference.

[@kellyharbaugh9391]

Do you have a smoker?

[@stephaniecampbell6811]

When you're shaking that with your bare hands, how do they not turn around and attack? Think I'll stick with buying my honey. 😵‍💫

[@UrbanHomesteader101]

Bees do not like black things not sure why but my bee mentor told me to watch my camera

[@1870s]

If you have fuzzy windsock on your camera, they will totally attack it, and burrow down into the fur.

[@colinvoss8484]

Some times they are in a bad mood.

[@hitchhikerfromanothergalaxy]

Yes! I'll 2nd that emotion!

[@sandymyers1182]

Nope nope and nope