Ok I am getting there slowly it think. I had first caught one swarm. Not a big one but ok. Then a week later i find a small swarm, three or four inches around by about eight inches. I had the first swarm in a brood box. I put two pieces of newspaper over that box and put another brood box on. I didn't see a queen but that doesn't mean much to me right now. Never have seen a queen.
While the bottom brood box was open I pulled a few frames. Bee's seemed to be busy but I didn't see much course the frames I put in there had some comb on them? What should I expect in a week? There did seem to be more comb than before but I didn't see any capped cells yet.
Nobody warned me that the bees don't like it if you drop the frame back in the hive. Next time I will be more gentle. I think I really angry the bees off. They all came up and said hello. No stings though.
I set ten frames fresh from Dadent, wood with plastic center with bee's wax on them? in the top brood box and put the lid back on.
Big Question? There are a lot of very small black ants all around the hive and the inner cover was covered with ants? Do I need to do anything about this or is this normal? Thanks for all your help and advice. :shock:
Those little black ants like to raise their brood in the warm area between the metal & wood on the outer cover. I wouldn't mind them so much, except that I seem to get them crawling all over my hands and arms. I have a couple spare outer covers. If I have those little buggers living in the top of one of my hives, I put another outer cover on. You might have to do this once or twice. They don't seem to bother the bees unless you have too much open space in a hive with a small number of bees.