On the 5th of July 2023 I received my first swarm call of the season.
It has been an unusually mild "winter" here on the Gold Coast, leading to strong colonies, plenty of food resources in the hive and the surrounding environment, and a strong urge in the colonies to build up numbers early. All of these conditions lead to earlier-than-normal swarming. As the weather warms through August we are sure to see many more swarms.
So, to the rescue, I went! I gathered the swarm into a nucleus box, and took them home. It was an easy catch in a low-hanging branch of a curbside tree.
The next day I checked the colony and moved them to a 10-frame hive. They were gentle and well settled, and have since gone on to build out the new hive with fresh comb and brood.
Catching wild swarms is all part of the beekeeping way of life and quite a fun and satisfying experience. The general public always appreciates the show and ask lots of questions. It's a great way to help people and inform about beekeeping at the same time.
If you are on the Gold Coast (Australia) and see a honeybee swarm, feel free to get in touch and Creekside Bees will come and collect it free of charge. You'll even get a free sample of our fresh local honey as a swarm spotter's reward!
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