Swarm behaviour

[Scadsobees]

Hi
I picked up a swarm this morning at about 8am in a schoolyard in a tree about 6 feet up. I wasn't able to get all of the bees, there were quite a few that were still flying and a some on the branch. I stayed there with the box for about an hour waiting for them to go into the box, and most did.

What will the remaining bees do? I figured that they'd re-cluster on the branch and eventually dissapate, but reportedly there are a lot of them flying around yet and somewhat aggressive (no stings).

How long will they stay?

I was thinking that if they hang around for too long that I'd bring back a box with a frame of brood in it, and that would attract them?

Thanks for your help!

Rick

[Mici]

they'll fly back to their mother hive,you can see them begging for permisson to re-enter the hive. if there are a handful of bees still clustered at the tree, it might be worth to go and pick them.

[Shizzell]

Scadsobees, when harvesting a swarm, if you don't get most of the bees, there is a chance you didn't get the queen that the swarm had. The bees tend to hand around the queen, so next time you might want to keep the box (that you put the hive in) around the tree so that they can follow the queen into the box. I would gather the rest of the swarm (if there is a lot of them) and put it into the swarm you put into a brood chamber. Otherwise, if its really small, they will eventually start to fly off. I don't think they are aggressive if they are flying around, simply unaware of their surroudings, maybe to find their queen.

I don't think bringing a frame of brood to the rest of the swarm is going to do anything. Maybe.

I bet your getting a ton of grief - the swarm at a schoolyard and such.

Good luck.

Jake