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Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

We have wild honey bees that have been living in an old cedar tree of ours for over 30 years. Every couple of years they will swarm around what I'm guessing is a newly hatched queen. A local bee keeper asked if he could put up a swarm trap in case they swarm again this year. I feeling kind of sketchy about that since the bees have done just fine for this long and I really don't want to mess with them. Can it potentially harm the hive if this bee keeper takes the new queen and her minions?

4/24/2010 7:27:48 PM

Columbus,ohio

If hes just puting up swarm traps he is basicly trying to collect bees that are going to fly off anyway. The way a swarm works is the old queen flys off with half the population on bees. The bees make a new queen. Once bees leave the hive they are on their own. What they do dosn't really affect the old hive.

Swarming is just how bees increase population of hives. Swarm take off, you have two hives. Getting that swarm would be a good thing because those bees have lived without a "keeper" for awhile. I keep bees, thats how I know most of this stuff.

4/24/2010 10:21:30 PM

Long Island,New York

Well, you can't keep them in your pocket. Why not get some sort of an agreement that if by chance the community that stays ceases to survive he'll repopulate with his kept bees?
(Play the unknowing person game, worried he's taking your beehive away). And then theres always a honey dowry....

4/25/2010 9:58:34 AM

Columbus,ohio

Those bees are just gonna fly off if they arn't trapped. Generelly beeks will take the swarm free of charge. Some will even charge since they get so many calls for yellow jackets. Most will not pay money for a swarm. The bees in your tree die it won't be his fault. Swarming is a natraul process. The bees in that tree arn't affected if that beek take the swarm or not.

4/25/2010 11:30:24 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

peep, is a beek, a bee keeper? BB, from what I have read so far, I would ask for ref's like if you were having home improvements done...is there a BBB file for beeks? Grow em BIG!!! Peace, Wayne

4/27/2010 12:40:14 AM

Columbus,ohio

Yes a beek is a beekeeper. There is a bee website simalar to this one but much biger. We use the term beek because it is shorter. In general beekeepers are really good people. I have only met one who wasn't, and was more of a bee haver.( Someone who has bees but dosnt know didily squat about keeping bees alive) I wouldn't worry about it to much.

4/27/2010 5:44:53 PM

Sort of Sunny Sometimes, WA

Isn't Jim Kuhn a beek?

4/27/2010 9:17:05 PM

chilliwack, b.c. , canada eh

whats the name of the site peep?

4/27/2010 9:27:25 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

LI, I think BB, keeps the bee's in her bonnet!!! LOL Peace, Wayne

4/29/2010 12:12:15 AM

Columbus,ohio

beesource.com

4/29/2010 7:37:17 PM