Woodruff's Honey & Apiary

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

Bee swarm marching into their new temporary home.

05/23/2026

It never failed to fascinate me watching a swarm of honeybees march into their new home. The queen was captured and placed in the box just ahead of the march home.

05/16/2026

Excavator trap-out.

05/16/2026

I started my first trap-out of the year. Typically it takes 4 to 5 weeks. You seal off the entrance and leave an exit through a cone. The bees leave through the cone but want to re-enter at the base of the cone which is now sealed off. The foragers flying around will go into the box I provided to store away the pollen and nectar. This was a swarm that just moved in yesterday afternoon. Since there isn’t any eggs or brood yet I do not expect it to take as long. Since there isn’t any food coming in the queen will leave through the cone and go into the box where the workers are now living. I’ll keep you updated as I do a weekly inspection. Thanks Aaron and Seth.

05/13/2026

Here is some more pictures of the swarm.

05/13/2026

I went this morning to recover another swarm. 10 feet up in a pine tree but not a problem when you have a bucket on a pole. After the first bucket plunge onto the swarm I dumped them in front of the box on my stylish sheet to keep them up out of the grass. Then the march began. They could smell the frames of drawn comb inside the box. That was amazing to watch. I had my queen clip ready in case I could see the one bee in 15000 others marching. Sure enough there she was. A little brighter orange than the others. I caged her and placed the cage inside the box and it was just a matter of time until they all came and finished the walk and new home. Thanks Randy and Kyle for connecting us.

05/13/2026

I didn’t any more than get home from removing the bees from the house and I got a call about a swarm. So on my way thankfully it was close. Thanks Dee and Tom.