A call from Belgrade to remove a swarm from a roll-blinds box was answered by the members of 'pcela' mailing list: Dusan, Vlada and Predrag. Unfortunately, in the meantime the swarm deserted the box where it had been for more then a year, and we were left with a less interesting assignment to remove the combs and clean the box, which was done on October 7, 2006.
It can be seen on the pictures where the swarm was placed - on the second floor of a private house in Zarkovo. A bed and a table with a computer in a high school boy's room were just next to the window. Bees flew in and out through a horizontal opening on the box. In order not to disturb the bees the tenants avoided moving the blinds, but this could not last too long. They also used some insecticide to clean the floor. These might be the reasons why the swarm left the box.
On the left picture you can see combs being taken off - one part is cut off, and on the lowest picture you see the box lid which the part of the comb was attached to. On the low left picture there is a piece of comb with capped honey.
It is interesting that about two years ago another swarm inhabited the same box and was removed by a beekeeper as the tenants demanded. It is obviously confirmed that the home previously inhabited by bees is more attractive to a new swarm than a place that was not inhabited; therefore the new swarm flew in.
The action finished by giving combs with honey to the tenants, and a large quantity of empty combs for melting to Dusan, a young beekeeper who began beekeeping just a few months before. Wish him luck!
