caught in a swarm!!

[Ammerbee]

I was inspecting on of my double brood colonies this morning and all of a sudden there was a might roar...it continued for the 20 minutes or so that I was inspecting.

I found a few queen cells that I knocked down but took one for a nuc...adding brood, pollen, stores and bees...as I walked away from the hive I noticed that there was a huge number of bees under the hive (this happened last year - this queen is clipped)

I had another empty hive ready for such eventualities so I tapped the swarm into that...I placed this about 20 yards away, the other side of a big out-building...I put the original hive back together, putting the queen cell back...I put the other frames of pollen, stores and brood in the new hive

I'm not sure I did the right thing, but went to the limit of my knowledge, like I did the best I could...the queen cell is now in the middle of the top box of the old hive...can I place it better?

Thanks folks..as always, really grateful for any feedback
B

 

[Anduril]

You have done fine, don't fiddle anymore. If it wasn't a swarm underneath the hive, that hive will be empty this evening. If it is a swarm and q+ then, you can fall back on it to rectify any problems you may have with the other hive.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Just knocking down queen cells and doing no more is never a solution. As it is in this case, you realised more was needed, but on finding QC's positive action must be taken.

 

[enrico]

You did well, thinking on your feet isn't always easy when you have little experience to fall back on.
You should be able to do something with what you have left whatever happens next.
E

 

[Ammerbee]

Thanks for the reassurance - it's totally something else how one gets so taken up with this madness - I've been fascinated by beekeeping since, as a very badly behaved kid, I was taken to the honiman museum in south London - the only thing that interested me was an observation hive - I stared at it the whole time I was there - it's only taken me around 50 years to catch up with that kid...thanks again

 

[Bakerbee]

Can you let us know what happens please. Interesting thread to learn from.

 

[Ammerbee]

will do...the 'rescued' swarm seems fine...will look at all of them Friday

 

[linoleum bonypart]

You clipping the Queen saved you losing the swarm