Our First Free Bees of 2024!

We finished putting up our swarm boxes just in time to catch a swarm! We caught our first swarm of honeybees for 2024 on Easter Sunday. We were lucky enough to be at home when they moved in and were able to shoot this video.
We are practicing natural beekeeping methods using Layens horizontal hives that we built ourselves. To get a copy of the plans that we downloaded for free and used to build our swarm boxes, frames, horizontal hives and insulated horizontal hives, click here: horizontalhive...

[@ericander2108]

I love a good swarm.

[@randsbees]

It really was very cool.

[@crabmanrockefeller9117]

We love the videos! So interesting. We worked a hive Easter Sunday afternoon. Our traps (3) are out. We will see how it goes. We really appreciate the material. Learn a new trick every video!

[@randsbees]

Thanks so much for the kind words. Let us know how swarm season goes for you. We'd love to hear what works and what doesn't in your area. We're still learning, too.

[@SecureAcresNaturalBees]

Look at that beautiful Easter swarm! We haven't seen any in Traphill yet but we have plenty of Bee hotels set up for any lucky colonies in the future! I love those seats yall have for your swarm traps in the trees, and like Roy said when you do that you don't have to re-level every time you put a trap up.

[@randsbees]

Thanks, Wes! We were really lucky to catch them in the process of moving in. Take a look at the comment below from lambbrookfarm about using a French cleat to mount the swarm boxes. Roy is thinking about trying that on a couple when swarm season is over. Several of our boxes need some TLC, and that would be a good time to try a different mounting system. Similar to the brackets we currently use, once the cleat is attached to the tree level, we wouldn't have to worry about that again. Maybe getting them plum every time.

[@JohnnyRFarmer]

That's awesome! How truly blessed we are on Easter no less!

[@randsbees]

The timing was pretty incredible. And I just happened to go out in the yard when it was going on. Thanks for watching!

[@johnrazor8720]

How lucky to be there during that short window as the bees enter what we hope is an acceptable location. I would love to see that happen someday. Thanks for sharing, I’m living vicariously through your efforts.

[@randsbees]

I still can't believe I happened to go out there at the exact time that the bees were swarming in. It was truly amazing to stand there with them buzzing all around us. Thanks for your continued support of our little channel. We really appreciate your kind words.

[@johnnybigpotato2404]

Very nice! Just got done telling a beek I met recently that this year will be 2 to 3 weeks early in central MO. This is the evidence! :)

[@randsbees]

It's been a busy week for us here in central NC. We just caught our third swarm today. That makes three swarms in the last four days. Crazy!!

[@AllaOstrovsky]

Congratulations!

[@randsbees]

Thanks for watching!

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Well, it looks like your season is underway! My bees have yet to find the alder pollen witch just came out this past week. Our Forsythia is not yet in bloom. Thanks for sharing, take care, Brice

[@randsbees]

Spring is coming - just gotta be patient. Hang in there.

[@_Trojo]

Congratulations!!!🎉🎉

[@randsbees]

Thank you!!

[@wadebarnes6720]

I bought a trailer to pull behind my lawn mower in a swarm moved into a box on it while I was in the house getting something to drink and I thought it was Rober until I seen the queen

[@randsbees]

Awesome!

[@jmath2596]

Stand on the ground and put those boxes about shoulder high and you will catch just as many bees and it's much safer. Good luck...

[@randsbees]

Thanks! As we put boxes up in new locations, we are moving them closer to the ground.

[@elijahcraig4804]

Great video and congratulations on 1,000 subscribers. I am seeing commercials now so soon you'll be making a few bucks. Shirley please be careful when working under those boxes that are not secured yet.

[@randsbees]

Thanks for those kind words. We really appreciate you watching our videos and for taking the time to comment. That helps boost our channel. And, I'll be more careful to avoid being underneath the boxes. Thanks again!

[@andysummers2742]

a word of advise from an old beekeeper with 2 bad shoulders, i caught 6 swarms last year and none of my traps were over head high. several were in old equipment sitting in the yard that i sprayed swarm lure in. make it easy on yourself, falling off a latter for bees is not worth it

[@jcahn2]

That ladder work looks a bit dangerous 😮

[@randsbees]

Roy has worked on ladders for many years and is very comfortable up there. He used a 40' ladder to put an antenna in a tree for our ham radio. That one made me REALLY nervous.

[@rtxhoneybees]

Putting them up on a ladder is one thing. Taking them down when heavy with bees and nectar is quite another. After my first year I mount them at eye level. I can't see a difference in the success rate.

[@rtxhoneybees]

At 11:50 there appears to be a virgin queen trying to get in but they are not letting her.

[@randsbees]

@rtxhoneybees Yeah, we are seeing people be successful putting them lower. We had read the books and were following the suggestions of the 'experts'. We were going 'by the book' so to speak. Now that we have old brood comb to put in the swarm boxes along with the propolis and lemongrass essential oil, and the swarm traps have actually had bees in them before, the height doesn't seem to be as important as when the boxes were brand new. Wes over at Secure Acres has caught swarms by baiting actual hive boxes and had a swarm just move into the hive sitting on a short stand. It all seems to come down to what's available to the bees when they decide to swarm.

[@radsk5]

I personally believe people put to much Effort into trying to get everything perfect when setting swarm traps, I place mine 5 feet of the ground just about anywhere, on buildings sometimes on the north side in heavy cover and they catch bees all the time, you got to know one thing in the wild bees take what ever spot have the right size doesn’t matter where it’s at

[@randsbees]

We are learning the same thing. It seems to be a matter of having a swarm box located wherever the bees are looking to land. We think the key for us is having some old brood comb in the swarm box to entice the scout bees.

[@SylantBill]

Put your extra swarms in plywood nucs and sell them.

[@randsbees]

There are licensing requirements in North Carolina for selling honey or bees, and we're just not interested in moving in that direction. Apiculture can be a great way to suppliment income, but that would probably require us to use Langstroth equipment and employ traditional beekeeping methods. It would be a job, and we're just not interested in that right now. This is just a relaxing hobby for us, so we're keeping things simple. We often go out to our hives and just sit on a bench to watch the bees go about their business. Friends that have allowed us to put hives on their properties have put benches near their hives and do the same. But thanks for the suggestion. That would be a great idea if we were trying to make a business here.

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

For me, getting the strap around the tree can be the hardest part of setting a swarm trap. That's why I switched to the french cleat style of hanging the box. In most locations the setup held my swarm trap securely enough that I didn't have to secure them farther. Quick and easy. But What works for me may not work for anyone else. Be careful setting traps from tall ladders, bees will enter boxes set at all different heights. Do what is easy and safe for your comfort zone. Peace, take care, Brice

[@randsbees]

Roy really likes the french cleat idea and has seen videos of others using them. He may try that on a couple of boxes. It's just hard to change something that's working. As we take down boxes that DON'T get swarms and move them, we're placing them closer to the ground. We are learning, as many have commented, they don't have to be that high to catch bees. Even though Roy doesn't mind the heights, the French cleat attachment looks like a much easier method. Thanks for the suggestion, Brice!

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

I don't think you will regret it. I recently saw an improvement in the basic design, I will try to find it and send you the link. @@randsbees

[@randsbees]

That would be great. Thanks so much!