Baited box = instant hive?

[dunderi]

Well this morning I was up in the carport getting ready to go out into town, and noticed a couple of bees hanging around near the rafters.
Being that it's swarm season here (Tasmania, Australia) I decided to pop a baited box up in the open roof and see what they thought of it.

The top box has old, drawn comb in frames, the bottom box is empty because i didn't have any extras. I put a cotton ball with lemongrass essential oil on it, inside a folded piece of A4 paper on the bottom board. I strapped it together with a lid on and climbed on a chair and put it up near the bees that were hanging around.

I went out, came back, and viola! BEES!!

they're coming and going - I have a video uploading  will share when done - and unless it's the same 20 bees doing some strange revolving door dance.. well i'd say a swarm has decided it's a nice place to live :D

I'm concerned the door is open too wide for a weak hive to defend - should I perhaps close it a little?

I'm going to let them establish before I consider moving them (the carport is really not an attractive location!) but I'm hoping that it's indeed a full swarm and that they are setting up house with a nice young, vigorous queen in there.

https://youtu.be/TuNHx9BowT0

[Wombat2]

If you have a syrup feeder that may help them decided - "room service" -  besides it will help them build comb quicker

[Richard M]

Cool.

Whereabouts in the NE are you dunderi?

[dunderi]

I put a feeder nearby,  which attracted attention reasonably quickly. 

I'm in Branxholm :)

I'm really hoping that it's a) an actual swarm b) that they stick around and c) that I don't fluff it up by moving the box to ground level after dark tonight :D

[Flycaster]

Brilliant 😊

Must be the weather as i think ive got one today too move into a swarm trap.

The other two had a lot of activity too but theyre quiet now evening is drawing in.

[dunderi]

Brilliant 😊

Must be the weather as i think ive got one today too move into a swarm trap.

The other two had a lot of activity too but theyre quiet now evening is drawing in.

how did you go with yours? I'm a bit disappointed - went up to pop a queen excluder into mine and there's nothing doing. i've got bees everywhere today but nothing in the boxes.... bleugh.

[Flycaster]

Well when I left for work this morning there was nothing happening 😕 But it was quite chilly and there weren't many bees on any of the plants either.

There were a couple going in and out last orders last night but nothing this morning. I didn't pull the box down to have a look I'll just leave them till I know for sure I think.

[herbhome]

Could be scouts- give em time

[BeeMaster2]

What Herb said. I let them go for several weeks. That way they have created a lot of wax and not so prone to leave when you move them.
Jim

[Wombat2]

Swarms are good - one I caught a few months back just produced 28.5Kg on its first robbing - Happy little Vegemites

[Flycaster]

 Wow.... thats very impressive. The scout bees obviously got outvoted at my place. 😕

[Lancej]

Did the first inspection of a small cut out that I picked up around 2 weeks ago, this was definitely not a feral swarm, the queen had a yellow paint mark.

[dunderi]

wow! 

I got a swarm call on Wednesday last week for a swarm that they thought had been there a day or so maybe.  They were trying to tempt them into a cardboard box.

I crawled in the roof cavity and couldn't see our hear them so we went in from the eaves soffit;

couple kilos of bees, couple kilos of new comb and honey - and they are angry angry bees! !

I reckon we got the Queen though,  they've been bearding a lot over the new box with all the hot weather too.

[Flycaster]

Nice 😊.

They might calm down a bit when they settle in ...    fingers crossed

[herbhome]

That's just too cool, good for you!