LAST NIGHTS SWARM

[don ellis]

I had a good size swarm last night when I went to check on my bees. I immediately went and collected my swarm catching supplies and got to the task at hand. I spritzed them with sugar water and tried to drop them in a nuc. Not a big problem but they were about 15 feet up in a tree. I must have done something wrong because I took about ten stings on my forearm and five on my legs. I have really got to get me one of those buckets on a stick. Looking forward to this weekend to find out what I did wrong.

[Wally]

If you dropped me 15 feet, I would be mad, too. Get you a cardboard nuc, or just use your bucket or a cardboard box. Shake them in it and carry them down to the hive. Either shake them into the hive or let them walk in from the bucket or box.

[don ellis]

That's what I did, dropped them about a foot into a cardboard nuc. They did not appreciate it. By the way I've heard people say beekeepers get immune to stings, just how many stings does that take. My arm is swelled tight as a tick.