checked bait hives today!!

[harvey]

I went first to my dads as he said a bait hive I had there had bee's going in and out.  Yup they look like my italians although they are not from my hives and are way back in the woods.  One of the other bait hives which is about a mile away in the woods by a creek was crawling with bees!!  These are smaller bees and are somewhere between dark brown and black?   The hive entrance was very busy, probably had 50 bees in the air at all times and they were going in and out.  Not sure how long they have been in the bait hive.  The hive has been hanging in the tree for a week but I have not checked since I hoisted it up there.  My third bait hive which I thought was in the best location there wasn't a bee around it?  I thought at first that the bees on the other two could just like the smell but after seeing the third one with out bee's I think I have two swarms living in the bait hives.  I don't have enough woodenware yet for both of these hives.  Heading to home depot here shortly to pick up some 1x12's.   Question,  All of my bait hives have nine foundationless frames with one frame drawn out.  If I wait a week will that be a good thing before I bring them home?  Maybe let them draw out comb and lay eggs first?  It almost looks like the entrances are to small.  One has a 3/4 inch round entrance and the bees have it jammed packed.  The other has a 3/8 inch cut about four inches long as the entrance and the bees were all over it too? 

[wd]

Beekeeping - Extracting a Hive from a Swarm Trap

[harvey]

That was kinda of a cool video.  That was after nine days?   Should I intentionaly leave the swarms in the bait hives that long or longer?  I am waiting right now for some more boxes so since I had frames in the bait Hives I am hoping all will be well.  The only problem I forsee right now is that it will be less than two miles that I have to move them.

[wd]

Me? I'd move em and hurry up the woodenware. I posted the video as an option. swarms have been known to fill out a deep in a week. you could play it by ear,

as mentioned, treat like a trap-out with some tlc