bait hive worked

[olehunter]

been hanging out on this forum several years . wanting bees , too cheap to buy any. have built a top bar hive , tried for 3 years to get a swarm to move in . no luck . over the winter I built a langstroth hive from recycled hollow core doors . and some red cedar. baited this year with old brood frame from a neighbor and some scent lure from a  bee store. went away for memorial weekend and when we returned a swarm had moved in . sooo went to the bee store and bought a hat and veil and a frame feeder and a hive tool. they looked pretty tame going in and out . got suited up and cranked into the job . removed the super and installed the feeder, drilled a top entrance in the super [not on the hive] . got every thing back together . the bees payed me no attention whatsoever. I think I could have worked them in tee shirt and shorts. they have used 1 gal of syrup in 4 days and are now working on the second gal and bringing in lots of orange pollen,
I have 2 questions how long to keep feeding ? and when can I expect a new hatch to appear?  

[cao]

Worker bees take 21 day to hatch.  As far as feeding, do they have nectar stored in their comb?  If they do then I wouldn't worry about feeding them. 

[ed/La.]

What is nice about swarm in bait traps besides the price is they draw comb so fast. I  would probably feed for a short time longer to get as much comb as you can.   With little brood to take care of they have plenty of time to forage and draw comb. Be sure to put your bait trap back out. The best trick for bait hives is to put out as many as possible.

[Ben Framed]

What is nice about swarm in bait traps besides the price is they draw comb so fast. I  would probably feed for a short time longer to get as much comb as you can.   With little brood to take care of they have plenty of time to forage and draw comb. Be sure to put your bait trap back out. The best trick for bait hives is to put out as many as possible.

ed you and Cao  give good advise. Thanks for posting. Phillip

[FatherMichael]

Congratulations!

Your patience has paid off with a nice start.

[jtcmedic]

Well done, can?t get a swarm to move in. I will keep trying

[ed/La.]

You have to manually move them over to new box. Should be easy. Just do it.

[FatherMichael]

Had one out for two years with no takers; so, bought a nuc, which is doing well so far; plus now have added one more swarm trap to two put out earlier this spring.

[BeeMaster2]

I put out swarms traps from spring to fall. I have a cardboard Nuc box in my garage right now that looks like the scouts have found it and are about to move in. We will see today.
Jim Altmiller

[Ben Framed]

I put out swarms traps from spring to fall. I have a cardboard Nuc box in my garage right now that looks like the scouts have found it and are about to move in. We will see today.
Jim Altmiller

Any catches are good. In years past, do you catch many from here on until fall, as an average

[Michael Bush]

>I have 2 questions how long to keep feeding ?

If they have some capped stores and there is nectar coming in, I would stop.  Otherwise they will backfill the broodnest and the queen will have no where to lay.  At best this will limit their growth.  At worst they will swarm.

>and when can I expect a new hatch to appear?
The eggs hatch in 3 days.  The workers emerge in 21 days...

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm

[Acebird]

Olehunter, see how beekeeping goes?  You get two answers that point you in different directions on the feeding.  The important thing is they gave you what to look for.  What you see happening or not happening is so important.  Myself, I prefer not to feed because I want bees that fend for themselves.  If I don't help them and they make it until next spring then they are survivors.  You choose.

[ed/La.]

Where I live zone 9 there is a saying. A swarm in July let it fly. In July we have been in a dearth for a month with several months to go. So it was probably an abscond not a swarm. They abscond because of hive beetles or robbing or some other unfavorable trait.  The bees have little to no resources so you have to feed just to maintain. They probably won't expand until fall and that might be to late. At best you have a queen bank of questionable quality. I am sure it is different in cooler climates. I try to catch swarms between March 1 and june1.

[BeeMaster2]

I put out swarms traps from spring to fall. I have a cardboard Nuc box in my garage right now that looks like the scouts have found it and are about to move in. We will see today.
Jim Altmiller

Any catches are good. In years past, do you catch many from here on until fall, as an average

When I lived in Jacksonxille, yes. There we have flows from December to late September with short dearth?s here and there depending on the weather. Spring swarms are much larger and more often.
I have had some good swarms in early September.
Jim

[Acebird]

Back where I come from a swarm in September is a suicide swarm.  That is when my friends would call me.

[olehunter]

maybe my post was not  clear the hive is a complete 10 frame langstroth  . will not be moving these bees

[Ben Framed]

maybe my post was not  clear the hive is a complete 10 frame langstroth  . will not be moving these bees

Same good advice weather it is a 10 frame swarm trap not to be moved as yours of a 5 frame hanging in a tree which is to be moved.  Wishing you the best with your bees 🐝.
Phillip

[olehunter]

thanks to all who answered  my posted question. good information and food for thought