Random pic thread.

BRUISER said:
Photo credit to Marty. This was in OBX
a1eebdb2398f5877b868afde2aabcb0c.jpg
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"But it said four wheel drive!!! I gots EIGHT wheel drive!!!"
 
McCracken said:
Beez
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I found a huge swarm on a large construction site I surveyed one summer. It was so big it bent over a 25' gum or poplar at the treeline and into the grading area. We went to lunch a while later and I told the grading crew about it. An old timer said he would catch them, he got a 5 gal. bucket and I showed him where it was. He walked slowly to the 3' beard of bees and many flying around. He set the bucket on the ground, pushed the tree down right above it and shook the tree. The entire swarm fell in the bucket and he set a lid on it. He waited a few minutes and then carried the bucket to his truck in the shade. I don't think he was ever stung and I never saw him flinch or slap at any of the bees flying around him. He told me the swarm was guarding a queen inside the mass of bees and they were full of honey to find/start a new hive and they could not bend their abdomens to sting if they wanted to.
I was amazed to see him catch the bucket full of bees. He left to take them home and returned a few hours later.
 
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mommucked said:
I found a huge swarm on a large construction site I surveyed one summer. It was so big it bent over a 25' gum or poplar at the treeline and into the grading area. We went to lunch a while later and I told the grading crew about it. An old timer said he would catch them, he got a 5 gal. bucket and I showed him where it was. He walked slowly to the 3' beard of bees and many flying around. He set the bucket on the ground, pushed the tree down right above it at shook the tree. The entire swarm fell in the bucket and he set a lid on it. He waited a few minutes and then carried the bucket to his truck in the shade. I don't think he was ever stung and I never saw him flinch or slap at any of the bees flying around him. He told me the swarm was guarding a queen inside the mass of bees and they were full of honey to find/start a new hive and they could not bend their abdomens to sting if they wanted to.
I was amazed to see him catch the bucket full of bees. He left to take them home and returned a few hours later.
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That's basically it. After a failed first attempt I ended up cutting the branch with the bees on it and putting it inside the hive I had. No suit, no gloves, no stings. Since they have no home to defend they're actually pretty passive.

I heard tale of a man who once stuck his hand inside a swarm and grabbed the queen. He held his hand up with her in it and walked back to his house with all the bees following.
 
mommucked said:
I found a huge swarm on a large construction site I surveyed one summer. It was so big it bent over a 25' gum or poplar at the treeline and into the grading area. We went to lunch a while later and I told the grading crew about it. An old timer said he would catch them, he got a 5 gal. bucket and I showed him where it was. He walked slowly to the 3' beard of bees and many flying around. He set the bucket on the ground, pushed the tree down right above it at shook the tree. The entire swarm fell in the bucket and he set a lid on it. He waited a few minutes and then carried the bucket to his truck in the shade. I don't think he was ever stung and I never saw him flinch or slap at any of the bees flying around him. He told me the swarm was guarding a queen inside the mass of bees and they were full of honey to find/start a new hive and they could not bend their abdomens to sting if they wanted to.
I was amazed to see him catch the bucket full of bees. He left to take them home and returned a few hours later.
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They are fairly calm when swarming. Once they have brood, honey they become more aggressive.

My big hive is calm I can open it and look inside with out anything on. The ones I got from nick on Friday I have a feeling are gonna be hotter



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Loganwayne said:
They are fairly calm when swarming. Once they have brood, honey they become more aggressive.

My big hive is calm I can open it and look inside with out anything on. The ones I got from nick on Friday I have a feeling are gonna be hotter



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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I didn't know a few keepers where on the board. I've helped a great uncle with his 60 plus hives some. I want some of my own, besides the residents in the eave of this old house. Been here for a very long time. I have seen them swarm personally twice now.
 
When I was a kid, 5 of our neighbors/families cleared 5 acres of woods to clear a pond site on a farm in franklin co. One day dad cut a huge Hickory tree that fell across the creek. My dad walked across the trunk, limbing it when he was swarmed by bees. He ran back and jumped off the trunk and dropped the chainsaw. The bees chased him 50 yrds at at least. After about 20 mins. our next door neighbor picked up the saw, calmly walked into the swarm and sawed the trunk in half were it was hollow. He then reached into the hollow, grabbed large pieces of the comb as we all stood in awe. He brought it to the clearing where we were making lunch. He explained that the bees can smell fear or something and once stung they home in on you.He also said they would not sting you if you were calm. It was funny because 75 yrds away from the hive and an hour later dad was still getting stung now and then! I will never forget how good that fresh, almost black colored honey tasted so good we ate the comb too.
 
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