Caught Swarm covering frame of brood

[malabarchillin]

I caught a swarm from one of my hives last night. I think I caught the queen and they were fanning. It was almost dark. I put a frame of brood in a 5 frame nuc for them. Today there are bees covering both sides of single brood frame. I am told they do not usually leave brood. Is is likely that I caught the swarm or could they just leave some bees with the brood I gave them and the rest left with the swarm queen ? I would combine them if there are just stragglers covering the brood.
Thanks
Mike

[Cindi]

Oh, Mike, now that is a really good question.  I would love to hear some answers from it.  I am wondering if what you did is a very good way to keep a swarm from leaving the box that they were hived into.  Bees do not leave brood, that is true.  So, perhaps, when swarms are caught, a really good safeguard to keep them "home" is to put a frame of brood in with them.  That would certainly give them a helper anyways, as it would be over 3 weeks before a swarm would have any new nursing bees, as the queen would have to lay eggs and then those hatch.  Thoughts, I can't wait to hear some answers.  Have a most wonderfully great and awesome day, Cindi

[JP]

I would check and also add a frame of honey.


...JP