Newbie with 6000 girls...now what?

[spdas]

Aloha, all,  Francis here from Kapolei Hawaii.  I found a swarm one week ago in the back of my 3 acre property and the comb measured one foot wide by 4 feet tall and 4 inches deep.   A call to Dadant and I got the #2 starter kit on Friday and have moved in the girls to their new home.  I educated myself enough to do this by Youtube videos and forums like this, thanks.   Anyway I have a concern or two that maybe you can advise:

1:  I assembled my hive with first super of 10 frames and put an empty super on top.  I then scraped off the comb and basically put all of it in the empty super and left the top lid cracked open 1/2 inch for 3 hours.  Then I closed up the hive as it was getting night time.  The next day I noticed they were using the regular opening and coming and going like normal.  The comb in the empty super is becoming less populated and I will check the frames to see if the girls are accepting it this evening.   DID I DO THIS RIGHT?

But, there is a cluster (about 6"x8"x 5 bees deep at the old comb site (10 feet away) that those bees will NOT abandon. WHY?  (I think I have included a photo below of the old site)


thanks
Francis

[Hethen57]

The queen may be at the center of that cluster at the old location.  Obviously, without the queen in your new hive, they won't survive for long in your new hive because they will have no way to reproduce or to try to make a queen from new larva.  I would try to shake that into a box and dump it into the new hive. If you are sure the queen is in the new box, I wouldn't worry about it to much.

[spdas]

aloha,  this morning at 7am I went and checked on the cluster and they were there just as thick as before.  I came back at 8am and the cluster was completely gone.  The hive is very active with 30 or so buzzing around the entrance. 

Question:  Should I remove the comb from the top super.  (shake off the bees and remove the empty super that was enclosing the comb?)

if so, shud I find the brood comb and maybe put it into the bottom super (make room by removing a frame)

thanks francis

[iddee]

Remove the comb and empty box.  If you want to save the brood, place it in a frame without foundation and use wire, string, or rubber bands to hold it in the frame. NEVER have space in a box where there is no frame. That is the first place they will make comb and you will have a mess to clean later.

[Natalie]

Welcome to Beemaster Francis. :)

[spdas]

Aloha, all.  How far can I move a hive without disrupting?   ie  10 feet, 25?  Is it important for the hive new location to be in view of the old location? 
thanks
Francis