Swarm.

BeeMaster2 · March 21, 2017, 12:44:46 PM

Yesterday at 3:00 PM i got a call from my son who was at home by him self. He went to take his service dog for a walk and looked out the window. He said there were a 100 thousand bees flying in front of the window.

I had had a 2 medium box in my truck for catching swarms and had to take it out. I placed it on a little end table under the front porch and the bees swarmed in. It is a fairly large swarm.
They have 19 medium foundationless frames to fill and I suspect they will have it full in 10 days.
Last night I closed the entrance and moved them to my apiary out back. Thought about leaving them on the porch but my better half didn't like that.

Jim

Jeff L. · March 21, 2017, 01:31:17 PM

I'm just not that lucky, I had a couple of bees checking out my beevac in the back of the truck yesterday, but no follow up.

jalentour · March 21, 2017, 01:41:00 PM

Bees on the porch didn't work out so well for me.
Best you moved them!

iddee · March 21, 2017, 02:13:39 PM

I hope you have the nine frames evenly spaced. If they are all tight to one side, the first comb drawn will be in the empty space.

BeeMaster2 · March 21, 2017, 07:18:40 PM

Quote from: iddee on March 21, 2017, 02:13:39 PM
I hope you have the nine frames evenly spaced. If they are all tight to one side, the first comb drawn will be in the empty space.

Wally,
I meant to say 1 drawn old comb and 19 foundationless frames. I usually have 1 old drawn comb in my traps. Thanks. I had 3 phone call interruptions while trying to post that.
Jim

Sniper338 · March 21, 2017, 08:29:11 PM

I still havent seen a swarm yet..

GSF · March 22, 2017, 10:54:12 AM

Caught my 3rd one yesterday.

agrimm01 · March 22, 2017, 12:28:49 PM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 21, 2017, 12:44:46 PM
Yesterday at 3:00 PM i got a call from my son who was at home by him self. He went to take his service dog for a walk and looked out the window. He said there were a 100 thousand bees flying in front of the window.
I had had a 2 medium box in my truck for catching swarms and had to take it out. I placed it on a little end table under the front porch and the bees swarmed in. It is a fairly large swarm.
They have 19 medium foundationless frames to fill and I suspect they will have it full in 10 days.
Last night I closed the entrance and moved them to my apiary out back. Thought about leaving them on the porch but my better half didn't like that.
Jim

I have two hives and placed three swarm boxes nearby. In the box nearest my hives I captured a swarm. The swarm box is a 5 frame nuc with only one frame in it. It's about 10 feet up in the tree. Should I close up the swarm box at night and take down from the tree and place beside the other hives and then wait a few days before moving to a regular nuc box with 5 frames? I'll try to attach a pic.
Andy

gww · March 22, 2017, 01:21:54 PM

Agrim
I would move it as fast as possible cause that is what I do even with full framed boxes but I definatly would with one frame rather then have to do a cut out later.

My vote is move it and fill it with frames.
gww

agrimm01 · March 22, 2017, 02:03:24 PM

Quote from: gww on March 22, 2017, 01:21:54 PM
Agrim
I would move it as fast as possible cause that is what I do even with full framed boxes but I definatly would with one frame rather then have to do a cut out later.

My vote is move it and fill it with frames.
gww

Thanks, do you see any issue with moving into a regular 5 frame nuc box when I move them beside the other boxes? You think it's OK to move in the middle of the day?

gww · March 22, 2017, 02:34:50 PM

I have always moved ten frame boxes but some had bees in them that would not fill a 5 frame nuc. I am first year and only have two swarms that I moved next to each other. If I had large hives that may rob, I would definatly have about a bee or two intrance when I moved them. One of my swarms was about 100 yards from where I keep my hives and I did not want them to orient where I had caught them but instead where I wanted them. I read on responce to someone else that they liked to move them in the middle of the day so that more scouts that were still out could not come back to the swarm and convince them of a better home and get them to move. In a round about way this sorta makes sense to me. I moved mine at night.

I caught three swarms over all that I did this way and to were from distant places. I would move yours just to fill it with frames so I did not have to rubberband any soft comb into frames latter.

I am new enough that I hate to give advice to you that might hurt and more just tell you what I did. I transfered my swarms out of the traps to my hive equiptment the same day and used two drops of lemon grass oil into the box I was putting them in. On mine, I put them into empty boxes with foundationless frames and did not feed. If I catch more, I will feed them till they get some comb built. I did read that it might be a good ideal to let them go a couple of days before feeding to let them get their defences set before giving them something robbers might want. I don't know if that is good advice but is probly how I am going to try it.

I hope this helps in some way.
Cheers
gww

BeeMaster2 · March 22, 2017, 10:29:41 PM

Avril,
I would lower it down, open it up and add 4 frames right away. Then leave it there till after dark and then move VW it.
Jim

agrimm01 · March 23, 2017, 08:45:28 AM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 22, 2017, 10:29:41 PM
Avril,
I would lower it down, open it up and add 4 frames right away. Then leave it there till after dark and then move VW it.
Jim

I took it down before sunup this morning and moved into a 5 frame nuc on my hive stand. I was suprised how quickly they built comb in the swarm trap. I could only get 4 frames in the 5 frame nuc. I hope they stay where I put them and don't go back to the tree.
Thanks
Andy

BeeMaster2 · March 23, 2017, 12:05:05 PM

Avril,
Since you were able to move a frame that they drew out, they will probably not leave. More than likely it is full of eggs already.
Did you move the hive into the box in the dark or did you wait until the bees were out flying in force.
Night time in not when you want to bee in the hive. Wait until the worker bees are out in the field. They are much easier to work then.
Jim

agrimm01 · March 23, 2017, 06:41:45 PM

Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 23, 2017, 12:05:05 PM
Avril,
Since you were able to move a frame that they drew out, they will probably not leave. More than likely it is full of eggs already.
Did you move the hive into the box in the dark or did you wait until the bees were out flying in force.
Night time in not when you want to bee in the hive. Wait until the worker bees are out in the field. They are much easier to work then.
Jim

Jim,
I was able to move the single frame they had drawn out into the new nuc. They seem to be settled in. Some bees were hanging around the tree where the trap was but they are no longer there. Do you think I should feed them sugar water?

It's Andy not Avril.
Andy

Beeboy01 · March 23, 2017, 10:04:43 PM

I just set up two swarm traps in my back yard, they both are deeps with 3 or 4 frames of foundation along with some older top bars that have been well used. I also included a vial of swarm lure in each box as an added draw. Don't know if they will work but it's worth a shot.
Weather has been funny with hot one day then cooler and windy the next so I haven't been in my three hives recently. Planning on a quick inspection and adding a shallow to all the hives tomorrow afternoon.

BeeMaster2 · March 23, 2017, 10:58:15 PM

Quote from: agrimm01 on March 23, 2017, 06:41:45 PM
Quote from: sawdstmakr on March 23, 2017, 12:05:05 PM
Avril,
Since you were able to move a frame that they drew out, they will probably not leave. More than likely it is full of eggs already.
Did you move the hive into the box in the dark or did you wait until the bees were out flying in force.
Night time in not when you want to bee in the hive. Wait until the worker bees are out in the field. They are much easier to work then.
Jim
Jim,
I was able to move the single frame they had drawn out into the new nuc. They seem to be settled in. Some bees were hanging around the tree where the trap was but they are no longer there. Do you think I should feed them sugar water?

It's Andy not Avril.
Andy

If there is not a flow on then yes feed then. Usually they do not swarm with no flow except just before winter when sometimes bees just leave due to overcrowding.

DeepCreek · March 31, 2017, 10:50:43 AM

I to, used to wait until dark to close up and move a swarm. After reading several posts I no longer do that. Once I have the majority of the swarm in the box, I move them and don't worry about the stragglers. Reason being, if the scout bee's come back and convince the swarm that they've found a new home, they may very well re-swarm out of the container you now have set in the exact location of the swarm.

iddee · March 31, 2017, 11:58:58 AM

Ditto what DeepCreek said.

GSF · April 03, 2017, 02:42:07 PM

Reason being, if the scout bee's come back and convince the swarm that they've found a new home, they may very well re-swarm out of the container you now have set in the exact location of the swarm. Never thought of that. I guess that's another good reason to have a queen "in"cluder under the super for the first couple of days.