Swarming Redondo

Late Saturday afternoon the LA Bee Rescue Hot Line got a call about a swarm in Redondo Beach.  I contacted Susan to get it I could not get away.  Rain was coming and the bees might prefer being under cover.

This was a nice compact little swarm which was very reachable.  The homeowners put a blanket on the grass to watch what was going on.  I pontificated on bees and by the time I turned around Susan had them in a nuc.  That is why there are not bee collection pictures, it was over quickly and the nuc closed up.  We left the bees under that bush overnight.  The nuc was well away from passersby would be secure.   Susan picked it up at 6:30AM on Sunday.  At the Backwards Beekeepers meeting later in the day Susan found someone to give them a new home.

Forgive the artsy effect but my hands were full and this is the only shot I have of the house.  Catherine had a swarm in a camellia bush along her driveway in Redondo Beach..  I was not on bee duty so mid afternoon I went to check them out.

 

After clipping some branches I was able to slip the nuc under the bees and shake them in.

A bit of of nasonoving said the Queen was in residence.   I slipped a lid over the nuc and left them to adjust until the next day.

Catherine was very happy with the result

I went back to collect them this morning.  They were very active and Catherine informed that yesterday after I left they make a big swarm cloud but apparently decided this space would do and returned.  Rather than disrupt them right away I will wait until after dark and go seal the nuc and bring them back to the Apiary In The Dale.  I do not know if they will stay or if this will be a layover spot.  We shall see.  Fro now I have enough bees.

Still wrapped in the transport laundry bag, the bees are now parked The Apiary In The Dale, their home for a few days.

Uncovered and settled in for the night

The residents are not very active but one solitary bee traveled here outside the nuc but inside the laundry bag.  It will find its way inside soon.

The Bee Vac and Seasons Greetings

The Bee-Vac information is coming but first you have to visit my dogs. These guys will pose for seasonal pictures, the bees won't.

The puppies, Vero, Decker, Ace, Joi, born Oct 1, 2009. They are with the breeders of Deuce and Betty, Marie & Tom Quarles in Oregon. They will keep two puppies and two have their new homes already selected. (That is a hired Santa, not me.)

Mama Betty

Step Dad Deuce who stayed home with me. Betty is flying back home on New Years Eve.
Seasons greetings to everyone.
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Yesterday at the Backwards Beekeepers meeting, Steve Rosales brought along his Bee Vac and explained how it worked. I did not have my lap top and did not recall the site where Steve found the plans for the Bee Vac. After I got home found the link.

Robo's Bee Vac

The evolution of the Bee Vac and construction directions are posted on Robo's World BushKill Bee Blog. There are also large number of posts from people who built their Bee Vacs from his plans. I strongly suggest reading or at least checking over the posts for more suggestions and improvements. Robo does respond to any questions. One question that comes up in in regard to the size of the vacuum motor. Lower horse power vacs, 2-4hp, will work but the problem comes when the actual bee vac cannot get close to the hive or swarm. This requires a longer hose and the longer the hose, the less effective the vacuum becomes. If you look at the pictures of the recent capture where I assisted Steve, you will notice the actual Bee Vac and capture box are on top of a couple more hive boxes. This was done to get it closer to the bees and not lose suction. These are things you remember through experience, it was a good thing Steve was in charge. He plans his operations very thoroughly.
It has been suggested that a non-ribbed hose might be easier on the bees than the usual vac hose and a foam pad mounted at the end of the "in-box" might help also. That could be true but Steve has found a very minimal number of dead bees at the bottom of the box after he moves the hive body to its permanent site. The number is so small as to be inconsequential if you do not have the vac running at full strength.
Another thing he does is bring along a small plastic container with a lid plus some tweezers. He uses those to collect the queen if he sees her. That way she will not be injured going through the vac system and once she is inserted into the new hive body the other bees will stay with her.
Make sure you have some duct tape along to seal the hive box and bee vac sections together when transporting it back the new site. With just the strap holding things together it is easy to knock the pieces out of alignment and leave escape points for the bees. (I speak from experience.) Bring along an old sheet to toss over the hive/vac in case it gets tipped over or anything in transit.
Other handy items are extra extension cords, plenty of smoker materials and something to light it with. I like having a small table to cut down any brood comb to fit frames. I no longer get down on my knees to work unless absolutely necessary. Bring along several clean buckets with lids for holding honey comb, brood comb and any trash comb and keep the bees out of them as you work. You should have several hive bodies with empty frames in case the capture hive turns out to be very large. In addition you will need more hive boxes with empty frames for the brood comb along with knives for cutting it down to the proper size and rubber bands or string to tie it in place.
Collecting a hive/swarm may not be a fast operation unless it is very small so plan things carefully and bring some water to drink and leave enough time for the operation. One thing about Steve is that he is very deliberate and careful with the bees, that is the main reason he loses so few of them. Rushing will cost you some bees and maybe the Queen, not a good thing.

If you are not good with wood working or don't have the tools, Robo may be able to help you with a bee vac. Check his blog and contact him.
I would like to take this time to thank him for posting the information on Bee Vac and thank Steve for inviting me to assist him collecting. Find another novice beekeeper in your area and ask for help, most are grateful for the experience. An extra pair of hands or two is very beneficial
I have an extra bee hat and veil which I bring to allow neighbors to get a close up look if they want to, just good public relations and dispelling some of the Killer Bee myths.
If you have any questions, use the thing off to the right to contact me. Bear in mind I do not have a Bee Vac yet but I am doing some work for a friend and he will pay me with some choice wood work that may look like a bee vac.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
Be good to the bees and your Honey.