Absconding after moving swarm?

[Shizzell]

Hey,

Question: I captured a swarm recently, and put them in a place where they could stay for a couple of days due to the fact that I didn't have any extra equipment with me. So... I captured the swarm, put them in a plywood box, and I had to leave them in there for a couple of days. Three days later I moved the swarm into a regular deep, and 3 hours later - they absconded. Good stuff. 

Jake

[doak]

I don't think it was absconding. Sometime a swarm will not take what you offer them. If they took up house keeping, building comb, queen laying, yes they absconded. If they did not take up house they just didn't want your offer or may have already decided on another location.
doak

[Shizzell]

Yeah -> they were building on the plywood box I gave them in the first place. I had to move them though, because it had no frames, and it didn't even have a bottom. Maybe I should have sprayed the new hive I was going to put them in with attractant, and/or closed the entrance 100% for a couple of days?

Jake

[buzzbee]

Did you put a queen excluder under the bottom of the box.They won't leave without the queen usually.This gives them time to adapt to get used to the new surroundings.

[Shizzell]

Interesting. No I didn't. Maybe I should next time. Do I just remove it after a week or so?

[buzzbee]

Just a couple days or say,It traps the drones in also!