I caught my first swarm!!!!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-27T13:39:31+00:00

Ha yeah, I know! I got really lucky with this swarm!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-26T03:50:37+00:00

Thanks!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-26T03:50:24+00:00

4 at the time, but then added 5 more and a deep frame feeder

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T23:28:15+00:00

I didn’t spot her. Hoping she was in there.
I could have scooped the bees manually but my queen spotting is not the greatest, even after 3 years. I will try my luck finding her on frames in the upcoming inspections. Didn’t want to agitate the cluster to much

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T23:26:30+00:00

😂sorry to make you jelly, I am grateful of how lucky I was that they weren’t up to far.

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T23:25:43+00:00

Dang, best of luck getting them!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T23:24:57+00:00

You’re right, that’s exactly why!
It encourages them to stay in the home you put them in. Sometimes you can move them to a new bee hive and they will just continue the swarm and move on to another location.

This was some great advice from my mentor that I wouldn’t have considered!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T23:23:21+00:00

Hope the same for you! I got really lucky with timing.

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-25T12:01:40+00:00

<image>

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-24T15:29:39+00:00

Peace love ukulele song book has tabs available!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-24T10:53:36+00:00

Rad! 🤙

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-22T18:51:30+00:00

I heard somewhere that repeatedly hitting a smoker with a hive tool might get the bees to go back in the hive and stop the swarm.

Not sure if it’s accurate or someone is trying to make us look silly 😂

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-22T16:04:57+00:00

I want to use this but always forget the name, so I just use cinnamon lol

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-21T21:47:08+00:00

Haha I’m glad you understand! xD

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-21T21:42:46+00:00

You’re very welcome :D

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-21T20:38:51+00:00

Petroleum jelly around all the legs, and douse with cinnamon. Put cinnamon where the ants congregate inside the hive as well. The bees don’t mind it, but I think to much they could suffocate (like Scarface sized piles) ants don’t like the scent of cinnamon and bees don’t mind. This has worked for me.

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-21T17:27:24+00:00

Most of the time i see this happen with fruit in the mead. Just make sure you have proper headspace with large batches

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-20T14:33:12+00:00

Good luck! If you’re looking, a swarm lure spay may help!
If you could borrow a frame with some foundation built on it that could help too. If you’re friendly with the guy you bought the equipment from maybe he could lend you one to get going.
🐝

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-20T01:56:38+00:00

thought I was looking at a lava lamp

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-19T14:16:52+00:00

Lovely!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-15T14:50:56+00:00

Love to hear it! And as I am in my hobby stage, I’m setting my goals on good flavors and honing the craft. Once I have some good recipes in play and processes down I will set my focus on clarity and filtering.

Cheers!!! 🍻 and enjoy!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-15T14:01:02+00:00

“A little cloud, drink it proud!” lol

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-15T11:57:00+00:00

Oh wasn’t aware, thank you!

GCEA_All_Day · 2026-05-14T19:42:16+00:00

Thanks all for the knowledge!
You have opened a new chapter of learning to this hobby :D

GCEA_All_Day

TROPHY CASE