Hi : Well I have a situation I am not sure about?
Last week I had a trap about 300 yards for my yard and caught a swarm in it.I brought them home and tried to get them to 10 box which I did and closed them up for a bout 4 days till my queen execluder arrived so I could release at least the workers which I did however during all this removal and shuffling boxes a lot of bees were in the air.Now the hive has seemed to seddle down and the workers are going thru the excluder which I plan on leaving in place for several days.
I put up a new trap on the tree where the old one was located and I went to check it and see a small cluster of bees about a fist size in the front of the box some going in and out of the new box.I can't decide if this is a cast swarm or foragers from the hive I removed or have some of the workrers found their way back to the tree the tarp was on? ANY IDEAS?????? I am sure learning some lessons !Ha
I guess best way is to learn on your own and try not to make many mistakes and you will find out what not to do any way!!
I would guess it was the foragers that were out when you removed the swarm. They didn't know where the family moved to. Just dump them in front of the hive and let them take up with it. You may have to do it twice. The best time is when they are not flying. IE: Cool or wet morning, or night.
What Iddea said.
I reciently responded to a call for a basket ball size swarm. When I got there it was the size of a softball. The owner swore it was much bigger earlier. I placed a nuc next to it and left it there until the next day. Then after dark I took it home. I checked it and there was no queen. Just a large softball size of bees. I just added them to another newly hived swarm. These were the ones that got left behind.
Jim
Blacksheep, I think iddee is right about the scout bees. Was just wondering why you lock your swarms up for 4 days then use excluder. I just shake them in a 5 frame nuc then leave them locked in there till morning, then pick them up and haul them about 8 miles to my friends place. Pick out the 2 frames in there and stick them in a 10 frame deep. Just leave them go free.. I think they stay because they dont know their surroundings. I just leave it for about about a week and now I have another hive.