Yesterday afternoon I was working in the back when a small swarm flew in and landed on an old stump. It was almost time to head off to my job, but I figured I had time to shake them into a nuc. I shook them but before I could get the lid on, they decided they didn't like their new home and flew off into a nearby tree, out of my reach. (They were up there laughing at me, I know it! :-x ) Not to be beaten, I took a personal day, gathered my bee vac, all of Pam's vacuum extension wands, and my step ladder and proceeded to suck them into my capture box. :evil: Normally I would have just gotten my extension ladder, but the tree was too small to hold the weight of the ladder, but too big to bend down to the ground. This time I set them up in a deep with the entrance screened off with a piece of a queen excluder. They oriented right away and are now busy setting up house. I guess they just didn't like the nuc. Maybe it was the wrong color??? :-D
you did right, a frame of brood from another hive will also help lock them in most of the time.
Congrats on this one!
Way to stick with it! I had a swarm on Monday that appeared to hive fine on 5 frames of drawn comb. I wasn't able to get a frame of brood in there as it was too early and cool in the morning to get one. I went back at lunch with a wet brood frame and they'd re-issued, but only 2 foot away. I dropped the frame of wet brood in there and recaptured the swarm. They went back into the hive with purpose, not as much confusion as the inital capture. I went back that night to remove the nuc and they were fully locked down. I checked them yesterday in my apiary and they're doing great.
I've only lost 2 swarms that reissued and those were swarms I didn't put a frame of wet brood in on. That's exactly why I was heading back at lunch with a brood frame. I can't recommend enough putting an "anchor frame" of wet brood in there when hiving a swarm.
I've had two swarms move into a flowerpot style swarm trap and then leave after a day. Can't lock them in with a frame of brood because of the design of the trap. Getting ready to place a plywood box at that location with some used comb in it, maybe I'll have better luck. ;) Way to go on your recapture of that swarm :-D