u/BillersBees

▲ 4 r/bees

Portland Oregon USA. I am a hobby beekeeper for the last 10 years or so. This video is from my backyard in the city.

In addition to my honey bee hives I have a nest of bumblebees in an old bird house as well as several blocks that I drilled holes in to allow mason bees to nest.

The mason bees have finished laying and have capped their holes for the year.

The bumblebees move in every year or so to one or two of my old birdhouses. Usually I get what I think are called tri colored bumblebees. Not sure if this years batch are tri colored or something else. Birdhouse is up in an area I can’t see into very easily. It does have 20 or so bees in it.

The honey bees are swarms that have taken up residence in empty hives that I have. 7 swarms have moved in so far this year. 2026

Not sure what else I could attract but three different types this year is great!

Enjoy your bees!

u/BillersBees — 10 days ago

I catch 5 to 10 swarms using empty boxes every spring. I live in SW Portland Oregon USA which is a pretty urban environment.

I get that they are swarming from other beekeepers hives or from feral hives. Just the number seems really high for being in a city. Maybe I underestimate the number of beekeepers around me but it seems like a lot.

Last year I caught 10 and a guy up the street two blocks caught 3. So 13 from just a small area. This year I have already caught 7 and see more scouts at the empty hive I have left.

I took all my hives to a buddies farm last year so they aren’t swarming from my hives.

I’m not complaining. Nice to have them.

Curious what you think. Let me know.

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u/BillersBees — 13 days ago