Please tell me if i forgot something

MacfromNS · September 02, 2009, 01:18:44 PM

I found a swarm this morning up in a spruce tree an not too far from my hives.
Yesterday I was sure that I had lost some. So I got a ladder and cut the branch off. Got it back down to the ground and sitting on a sheet, took 3 or 4 pictures before my batteries went dead. Then I shook them in a cardboard box,I should have put them right in a super/brood box but not thinking straight. I put two frames of brood in the middle and some lemongrass oil,( one drop) in the brood box
and pulled the sheet up close some the rest of the bees could walk in and left them in the shade of the tree.Please let me know if you would have did something differant.This is the first swarm I have ever seen in my 59 years
living in the country.

John Schwartz · September 02, 2009, 01:21:00 PM

This late in the year, that far north, it's doubtful they'll survive the winter, but worth a shot. :) You'll need to feed, feed, feed them so they'll have enough stores for the winter. I would think giving them pollen substitute might be good as well. Thots, others?

Kathyp · September 02, 2009, 02:21:12 PM

it will be tough and depend on a couple of things. did you get the queen and get her into the hive? can you get them fed up enough to make it. the first is the most important. if you got her and you have drawn comb to put them on, they might have a chance to get through a brood cycle or two and make it. the fact that you added brood will help. i would give them a slab of pollen and put a bucket feeder on them. when you get closer to cold, put some dry sugar on the inner cover and keep some on all winter. you can also put it on newspaper inside the hive, but i use the inner cover so that i don't have to open the hive. if you are in a dry area, you can dampen it with a spray or two of water.

put an entrance reducer on. move them to sun when you can. protect them from wind, etc. over winter. they may make it. how big do you figure they were? how many frames do they cover?

if they don't look like they are going to make it, or you didn't get the queen, do a newspaper combine with another hive. at least you'll save the bees and boost the other hive numbers.

MacfromNS · September 02, 2009, 03:15:15 PM

I took 5 frames out to pour the bees in and it almost filled the space in a medium'
It was a football size swarm and I have more drawn comb that I can put on.I think I got the queen because they all headed inside. Can they go back along side
the other 2 hives?

Kathyp · September 02, 2009, 03:37:31 PM

i wouldn't put more than another medium of drawn foundation on them. that gives them room to store the food you are going to push at them and a little space for the new brood. even that might be to much, but you can see how that works out before the weather changes.

yes you can put them with the other hives, but because you will be pushing food to them, use an entrance reducer so that there is less space to defend from robbing. you might also put a queen excluder under the box to keep the queen in until they are settled. once she is laying and they are storing food, you can pull it out. a few days will do.

also, mix your syrup a little thick. it will be easier for them to cure it before the weather changes. you may need to warm the water to get the sugar to dissolve, but don't boil it.

MacfromNS · September 02, 2009, 04:14:10 PM

How small of a entrance reducer would you use? I have one that is about 2 inches and one that is about 3/4 or I can make one.

bailey · September 02, 2009, 10:55:52 PM

if you have other hives then give the new bees a few frames of honey to help them through the winter.
works well, but still feed them while you can
bailey

RayMarler · September 03, 2009, 12:42:30 AM

The 2 inch entrance reducer should be fine.

MacfromNS · September 03, 2009, 06:47:35 AM

I'm going to try and send you some pictures.

Kathyp · September 03, 2009, 11:21:01 AM

nice looking place! keep us posted on how they do.

MacfromNS · September 03, 2009, 02:13:17 PM

Thanks kathyp and thanks so much to all for all your help, things still look good and I'll up date in a week. here is were they ended up.

and her is some bees that has been out on the ground for 3 days

Kathyp · September 03, 2009, 03:07:57 PM

take a close look at those on the ground and make sure you don't have a virgin queen in there. probably not, since the others are staying in the hive. if you can scoop them up on a dust pan or something, you can dump them on the hive front and see if they'll make their way in.

gaucho10 · September 03, 2009, 03:11:46 PM

What do you mean that "they have been on the ground for a few days"? Alive???!!! In one spot???!!!

gaucho10 · September 03, 2009, 03:13:18 PM

Maybe you spilled some honey or something on that spot???!!!

MacfromNS · September 03, 2009, 06:47:47 PM

Yesterday morning I went down early, just after daylight and took the bees all apart, I found 3 drones and the rest was all workers. There was about 300 bees there at that time and a bad smell coming from them.

Jim134 · September 03, 2009, 08:12:05 PM

Keep a look out for ROBBING in fall feeding

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

gaucho10 · September 03, 2009, 11:42:50 PM

At this time of year the bees are kicking out the drones. The drones sometime just congregate in an area for warmth. Mine are congregating in a small opening at the bottom of the hive but the guards wont let them in. They will eventually die of starvation. Perhapp that's what you are smelling. I alo have a collection od DEAD bees in front of the hive. Most are drones but a few are workers and yellow jacket, wasps, etc. The guards are doing their job.