Beekeeping | Is A Swarm Worth It or Worthless? Ep. 7

Beekeeping means catching swarms. A swarm is when half of a colony leaves with the old queen while the colony back home raises a new queen and builds up from half of their colony leaving. It's the only way bees can produce more colonies. Knowing how to catch the swarm is a MUST!
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[@WolfDragonTamer]

That was a totally beautiful thing to see, that queen walk right into your hand

[@petpilgrimgoose]

Fantastic video, Dave! We enjoyed this so much. Thanks as always, Adam and Mary in NH

[@jweaver7170]

That queen catch was great. Thanks for the video

[@stanleyschafer4232]

Thank you dave for another informative segment on bee keeping. I'll let the professionals gather the swarms.

[@hopesadler4000]

I used to do cut outs but even getting paid didn't justify the time and effort it took. I also stay off ladders for swarms. I have a 5 gallon bucket attached to a 15' extension pole and can reach most any swarm. Thanks for the videos.

[@SageandStoneHomestead]

We caught a swarm out of one of our hives. They landed at waist height on a pole that was easy to carefully pull out of the ground and lay the pole on top of a hive box! I got it on video, it was too cool.

[@ShugPhD]

We had a small swarm start moving into our next door neighbor's compost bin a couple weeks ago! Now they're in a 3 frame nuc with drawn comb and a frame of brood from one of our big hives that should be starting to emerge now.

[@dennisnieft1270]

David I agree,if the swarm just above your reach.Leave it to the person with the wright equipment.I've helped with a swarm that was 25 feet up.It ended ok but my knees shook for awhile after.Thanks again for your videos and information that helps the bee keepers.

[@petrafischer6599]

Thanks for the upload. Without even watching to the end, I would say. Yahhh free bees. I love my swarms.

[@williamfoster1103]

I had a swarm come from the woods next to me move across the yard and cluster on a bush in my bee yard 5 foot off the ground Thursday. After 2 tries I got the in a nuc today.

[@samkuhl]

Are they all gonna fit in that t3

[@bgtrev]

Good points, being a beginner, forget it but at some point it is something I would like to do, just for the experience. Interesting video again, thanks.

[@waynegilchrist1596]

Good advice! As with all things we would be wise to weigh the cost, the risk, and the rewards. I just saw where a bee keeper was robbed of two of his 5 hives. He estimated it at a four thousand dollar loss for the honey, the hive etc. A good deal of money but not worth a life or loss of livelihood. I'm not belittling his loss but comparing the estimated worth of a hive that a person might be risking life and limb for. Thanks for your videos; enjoyable and interesting, that's for sure.

[@medic5836]

He’s exactly right. I’m not risking my life or livelihood for a swarm. I got a 6 foot ladder if it’s taller than that it’s not worth it for me.

[@mitchmitchellp2868]

I have some equipment to gather swarms that are lower to the ground, I agree with you that walking a high wire to collect a swarm is a little crazy, I enjoy the info you put out there and your sense of humor. Do you have any suggestions on how to get called to collect swarms other than word of mouth?

[@dougweddle1582]

I think it is exciting to catch a swarm.

[@bobhicks2762]

What about setting up swarm traps?

[@BestBuzzHoneyBees]

I came home to a couple Nucs yesterday that had small swarms moving in. Both of these boxes only had Lemongrass oil as an attractant while the others sitting there with no bees around them had a Name brand attractant....I'm starting to believe more and more in just LemonGrass only instead the other overpriced attractants . Hopefully they'll get established and built up before fall/winter sets in.

[@heatherbaylis27]

Hey David how about a video on maintenance of bee equipment took bellows off my smoker and found out airhole was almost closed! how to sharpen hive tool? etc

[@peterchesney5923]

Worth it every time

[@scottlight5653]

Great videos, thanks for everything you do. Where can I find a Local honey bear sign like you have in you videos.

[@samkuhl]

Wow that's a cool little nuc never seen one before

[@Amethyst1919]

I'm hoping I can catch a swarm for my first hive. Living in Arizona you really want local bees who are acclimated to the high temps and some sellers out here charge more than necessary because of that. We have a guy who catches swarms for people and finds people who simply want them. Apparently we have many out here who catch and exterminate without attempting to save.

[@beewellness2004]

Valid points.

[@jmkranchbees62]

Worth it or not, I don't know yet LOL But what a cool video. Thank you David

[@tmcgee1614]

It's worth it!

[@adam-bonticoubees]

Seems that there is a direct correlation to the amount of time one has been a beekeeper to the amount of worthfulness a swarm is. “Why risk my life when I can just make my own split?”

[@YuvalLuzon]

I'm a complete beginner - so sorry for the question, why the first step is to check for the waggle dance direction? I know what the waggle dance is, but how does it help me to catch a swarm? Thank you! :)

[@Keith-xc9wf]

So why do they all parade into that tiny box when the queen wasn’t even in there? 🤔 interesting!

[@tastegeorgia674]

Are there any situations in which the wild life is ok for thr bees and just leave them?

[@Crispy27]

Since you don't know what year the queen emerged, what color would you mark her?

[@paulschaefer5241]

It's not likely with a swarm that size, but it is possible for a swarm to have more than one queen. In such a case the bees usually will kill all but one shortly after they find a home so most people don't know this can even happen.

[@dscrive]

Eventually I hope to get lucky and find a swarm, near the ground of course. I occasionally see honey bees in my yard so I know there are some a bee's flight away 🤣 Question, are wasps and hornets a threat to honey bees? And what about fire ants?

[@theohiohousewife]

Yes wasp, hornets and dragonflies are listed as predators of domesticated honeybees. I have seen paper wasp swoop in on my leaf cutter bees.

[@samkuhl]

Man they were rushing to get in that little Nuc

[@apiculturaGeraki]

👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@pirateprospecting707]

Hmm?Thanks.

[@diannemiller4754]

Not worth it when someone doesn't know what honey bee's swarm looks like. Such as when they say they have honey bee's but it's really yellow jackets and they just want you to remove it for free. My daughter answered such a call. She told the lady to call an exterminator.

[@tmcgee1614]

Not if you're going to put your life in danger though

[@cloycesmith6886]

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[@citrumpet1]

"A swarm in July isn't worth a fly". And we all know that's a lie... Lol.