the question is how long before a swarm stays and makes the tree a permanent home?
this is an open comb not inside a tree?
got any ideas?
do I want a bee tree?
help me make a decision please.
Bees will sometimes get stuck in a resting place when temporary comb turns permanent. By all means hive them because they will have a rough time in what you pass off as a winter. If they have drawn comb sticking out of the cluster, they will be there until they die out or a boy with a good aim and a rock comes by.
Jay,
Normally once they have drawn comb with brood, they will stay.
That being said, yesterday I went into a swarm trap that had a small swarm.took them forever (3 weeks) to start bringing in pollen so I left them alone. 3 days ago I noticed there were no bees coming and going. I opened it last night and there was 3 small sections of new comb as well as the one drawn frame that I had added. There was definite signs of some brood, and had one bee hatch out. The SHB had taken over this hive, probably after they moved out, and had lots of larvae in all if the brood areas. It may have been that this swarm was so small they they could not keep the beetles under Colton and moved out.
Jim
Jay,
Some swarms will end up being open air colonies. They simply weren't able to find a suitable home or their scouts never returned. In any case their comb is built on a limb. I have cut out two such colonies. I wouldn't leave them exposed to the elements.
Ray
Ray,
I was not saying to leave them. I was just answering this question.
I removed a football sized open air hive 2 years ago. it was a great hive, very gentle, and grew fast and supplied me honey the first year.
Jim