Absconding swarm

[Hux70]

I rehomed a swarm a week ago into a nice clean national hive with a frame of stores, some drawn comb and fresh foundation. Put a shallow feeder on top which they found and were taking down.
Checked the food this morning to find the hive empty. Weather was pretty poor last week so not much action, yesterday they were busy in the sun. Any ideas?

 

[Boston Bees]

Bad luck. That is just sheer bloodymindedness on their part.

Probably nothing you could have done. Was the varroa tray in? If not, maybe the OMF could have put them off? Who knows.

 

[Arfermo]

I rehomed a swarm a week ago into a nice clean national hive with a frame of stores, some drawn comb and fresh foundation. Put a shallow feeder on top which they found and were taking down.
Checked the food this morning to find the hive empty. Weather was pretty poor last week so not much action, yesterday they were busy in the sun. Any ideas?

Empty of bees or syrup? Preferred a mucky hole elsewhere?

 

[Heather]

If a prime swarm with mated queen I usually leave a QE under the brood box for a week to lock them in, hoping she isnt a slim one!

 

[Antipodes]

I rehomed a swarm a week ago into a nice clean national hive with a frame of stores, some drawn comb and fresh foundation. Put a shallow feeder on top which they found and were taking down.
Checked the food this morning to find the hive empty. Weather was pretty poor last week so not much action, yesterday they were busy in the sun. Any ideas?

I always put some open brood in with a swarm to make sure they stay. They do
Obviously if it is your first colony, it is a challenge to to that.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I rehomed a swarm a week ago into a nice clean national hive with a frame of stores, some drawn comb and fresh foundation. Put a shallow feeder on top which they found and were taking down.
Checked the food this morning to find the hive empty. Weather was pretty poor last week so not much action, yesterday they were busy in the sun. Any ideas?

When did you start to feed them and was it a swarm put directly into the national or had they been resident in another box/nuc for a day or two en route to you? Swarms don't normally expect to find stores and drawn comb when they locate a new home. Additionally it's normal procedure to not feed for 3 or more days so they empty their stomach of any honey they brought with them and convert it to wax to build fresh comb.

 

[Erichalfbee]

When did you start to feed them...........Additionally it's normal procedure to not feed for 3 or more days so they empty their stomach of any honey they brought with them and convert it to wax to build fresh comb.

And having emptied themselves of the honey they carried they are committed to stay

 

[Hux70]

It was a swarm from 1 of my other hives so it was either the emerging queen or 1 that was a week old. I left the QE under for 48hrs and fed after that. They only took about half a pint and no effort to build any comb.

 

[oliver90owner]

You don’t get swarms from emergency cells. This was almost certainly a cast swarm. They are notoriously flighty.