I found my first swarm today. I heard a loud buzzing sound and found the swarm on an
overgrown stone fenceline. The bees were on low vegetation and a couple large
stones. I estimated the size of the swarm to be about twice as big as a three
pound package.
I put various frames ( most drawn, a few with just foundation, and 1 frame with capped
brood) together in a medium hive box to use as the new home for this swarm.
Using my bee brush, I brushed the bees onto some large leaves and then shook the bees
off onto the hive box. I must have done this about 20 times until it appeared as though
I had 90 % of the bees in the box. ( probably took over a half-hour)
I then put a top on the box and had to work elsewhere for several hours. When I got back
all the bees were gone from the hive. :-x Also, the 10 % or so I left on the stone fence
were all gone too.
Any comments or suggestions as to what could I have done differently?
Thanks,
Never heard of anyone using brood to get a swarm in a box.
If you don't have phermone just put a feeder with sugar syrup inside the box.
If they are on a solid structure just sit the box as near as you can get it and leave them to their on doing.
If they are on a limb or bush low enough sit box under them and give a couple good shakes.
most times if you don't get the queen in the first tries, they will all go back to their hang-on
once in the hive there is no garentee they will stay.
With brood in the box they may take it as another colony occuping the box.
AHB will take over a hive, but I don't want to get into that process right now.
Another thunder storm approching and I'm giong to have to go off line.
Hope this helps.
doak
I like to take a brood box and put a queen excluder between the box and the bottom board, secure together(like hive staples or similar). Take a frame or two of brood and put into the box. slide the box as close as possible and shake them right into the box. Then close it all up and put a feeder jar on. It's not a gurrantee but if your lucky to get the queen brushed into the box the rest will go in.
Same thing happened to a friend of mine.
http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php?topic=9096.msg57895#msg57895
Steve
Thanks for the reply's
If I get another chance, I'll use an excluder to help keep them in.
Last year I had a swarm in a weird place. I had to use my bee brush to drop them on a large piece of newspaper and then shake them into the box.
I took a bottle of sugar water and sprayed the swarm with the sugar water prior to brushing them onto the newspaper. That got about 90% of the bees the first shot.
I waited a few minutes for the others to recongregate and then sprayed them and repeated. I only had to do it 3 times and it worked. The queen had been captured and placed in the hive.
Food for thought.