Caught swarm

[mattj]

Hi there,
I have just started beekeeping and have been caught on the hop with a swarm. We managed to catch it in a box but wondered if we can put it back into the old hive (we've only 1) or do we have to get another? Will they just swarm again if we put them into the old hive? Thanks, Matthew

 

[jon]

If you open the hive and remove every queen cell you can then put them back in. Just tip them on a board covered by a sheet at the entrance. If you miss a queen cell they will swarm again as soon as it is sealed. Either way, they will make more queen cells sooner rather than later. You would be best to get another hive and put them in there.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

A lesson there. Always keep a spare hive. Difficult if you've just started and didn't expct them to swarm..

If you have a spare super and a couple of pieces of timber you could make up a temporary hive I guess. Ply for the roof with a bin liner over. Ply for the floor and a hole bored in the side of the super for the bees to fly in/out. The super hole could be repaired later. Just a thought!

 

[mattj]

Thanks Jon and Hebeegeebee,
I made up a very make-shift nucleus (?) hive and put them in there. Hopefully, if there is queen cells in the old, I'll have two hives now. I will check tommorrow. Or, I suppose, the bees might not like my make-shift nucleus and swarm again Matt

 

[BKF Admin]

I was going to say use a piece of QE to keep the queen in,but if they are still there since yesterday then they should be ok.