got swarm, swarm again, got it again

[bill]

I was called for a swarm today. it was just a kinda small one. It was on the trunk of a new tree in a development so I could not take a branch. I mostly picked them up with my hands and let them walk and fly inthey did except for about fifty or so. got them in the hive, and got them home, It was real hot here today and I was afraid if I shut them up they might cook so I left them an opening. They were however still in a swarming mood. I was driving stakes in for my tomatoes and it got near sundown and I was riding the tractor baack to the house. when I got near them they were flying in a tornado type pattern.  in a cloud. I thought well the good lord giveth and the good lord taketh away. I stood there to see where they went, and they finally settled in a mesquite tree about ten feet from where they started. this time I lopped off the branch and put them in the hive so for the time being they are still mine. I will get some screen wire early in the morning and tape it to the entrance and let them get over their traveling blues.

[bill]

I just read barnies post and the answers. It sounds like I might have missed the queen, Now the question is, they are twenty miles from the queen, if I missed her. so if they swarmed again do they still stay in a bunch without the queen as I had had the idea that they formed the swarm around the queen, If this means they don't ahave a queen I will combine them with one of the swarms that are already settled in with the newspaper method, so tell what you think. I might of just let them loose too quickly and they were still wanting to swarm.

[thegolfpsycho]

There are a couple things you can do.  Put an excluder between the hive body and bottom board, and or add a frame of open brood from another hive.  They rarely abandon open brood, and if the queen can't leave, they end up coming back.  Of course, if you didn't get the queen, that's a different problem.

[Barny]

Watch and see if they start to lay brood.  Check in 4 days.

[bill]

they left. i have lemon grass oil now maybe that will help get the queen in that kind of situation. I am also thinking of building a block off  screen to block the entrance to the queen if I do have her.