Lost bees - can I add to existing colony?

[tillie]

I gave a swarm that moved into a nuc of mine to a friend.  I took them over at dusk yesterday. 

Today there is a cluster of foragers who weren't with the hive when I moved it, clinging to an old comb from the hive.  I sprayed them with sugar syrup and put the frame in front of another hive, but a few hours later they had congregated on an empty old frame in the carport where their nuc had been.

I thought tomorrow if they are still gathered that I would spray them with sugar syrup and dump them into an existing hive - might that work?

Linda T in Atlanta

[johnnybigfish]

Thats sort of like taking a frame of bees with brood and eggs and putting it in another hive so they can make a queen and be made whole. Maybe someone else knows about this and if it will work.
Good luck, Linda!
your friend,
john

[hankdog1]

it's worth a try spraying them with sugar before dumping them in might help mask the oder and help them be accepted.  in theory it should work just make sure you put a branch or some grass at the hive entrance so they will reorient themselves.  like i say it should work as hives accept bees from other hives into thier own due to drifting.  let us know if it works i'm pretty interested to find out myself.