home for swarm

[bill]

I would like to know what should go into a hive for a captured swarm in order to sustain it. I got a small swarm and it left. I am pretty sure it is because I did not put it in the right environment. I have no drawn comb  but I could get some frames out of my one good hive which I dont want to hurt too bad. It was a very small swarm and maybe just didn't have enough bees to operate,but I hate losing it just the same. next time I would like to get a home prepared in case I get another one, but I dont want to let any good frames go bad'  like minimum and maximum thank you  a lot

[Miss Chick-a-BEE]

From what I understand, they will stay more often if given a frame or two of brood to take over.

Beth

[Jerrymac]

How long did you have the swarm before it left?

Do you know where the swarm came from?

How did you have the hive set up?

[bill]

I had it about a week. All it had was syrup and foundation which I realize now is silly. but I was wanting to combine it and its queen with a nuc that I cant find the queen in, but I was not real sure that it was queenless and I had already made two nucs out of my good hive and was hesitant to weaken it further.  Now I want to keep a kit for small swarms. I bought two queens this year but it looks like both of them are gone. and I just might not be able to manage fifteen bucks a pop to requeen again so I am going to build up on swarms if I can. at least untill I can recognize a queen when I see one. the trouble I was real busy when this swarm came along and I just bungled it. so I want to put a kit together so it doesn't happen again. My other swarm survived fine by taking over one of my nuks whick was well supplied. so now aI have a strong but already used about six frames out of, in my nucs, a nuc whick apparently is in good shape but probably queenless. I have collected two swarms but this one is gone I was thinking I might use a short frame  of honey  for feeding a swarm, if one comes along.

[Michael Bush]

A strong swarm most always does well no matter what you do.  :)  But youc an give them some brood if you like.  I don't.