Exciting day

[deemann1]

I got a phone call from a friend of the family today who said there was a swarm of bees in there tree ,so I took off with a nuc box and some kit .
When I arrived I couldn't believe it the swarm was so much bigger than I thought it would be.
I successfully shook the swarm in to a 6 frame nuc ,it took up half the space in the box I sprayed with a bit of water and was back home in 2 hours ...
I transferred the bees into a full size national brood when i got home full of foundation and 1 empty comb plus 2 frames of food ,job done I hope
I must say it was such a great experience collecting my 1st swarm

 

[enrico]

Good idea to mount a QE under the brood box for 24 hours, sometimes they don't like their new home immediately, but well done, great feeling
E

 

[Beefriendly]

I must say it was such a great experience collecting my 1st swarm

Well done. It is a great experience. May they go forth and muliply.

 

[Beagle23]

I got a phone call from a friend of the family today who said there was a swarm of bees in there tree ,so I took off with a nuc box and some kit .
When I arrived I couldn't believe it the swarm was so much bigger than I thought it would be.
I successfully shook the swarm in to a 6 frame nuc ,it took up half the space in the box I sprayed with a bit of water and was back home in 2 hours ...
I transferred the bees into a full size national brood when i got home full of foundation and 1 empty comb plus 2 frames of food ,job done I hope
I must say it was such a great experience collecting my 1st swarm

Congratulations and good work.

I've only had the pleasure of catching my own swarms.

 

[mickbees23]

Well done, its great fun.

A big swarm will fill a 6 frame nuc though, now that's fun when you think they can't cram one more bee into the box..LOL

Cheers, Mick.

 

[Goldbug101]

Good idea to mount a QE under the brood box for 24 hours, sometimes they don't like their new home immediately, but well done, great feeling
E

Enrico - I don't have a QE at the moment, not having any supers - and I don't think I can get one today, when I'm planning to move my colony from nuc box to brood box. Now I'm worried about the queen deciding she doesn't like the BB and heading off - not that she'll do it at night, I presume?

GB

 

[MerryBee]

I presume you are moving your colony from a nuc to a brood box because they have filled the nuc and I presume there are frames of brood? A colony wont abscond if there is brood. Just make sure you dont leave the queen behind in the nuc, hiding somewhere in a corner, and it will be fine.

 

[Goldbug101]

I presume you are moving your colony from a nuc to a brood box because they have filled the nuc and I presume there are frames of brood? A colony wont abscond if there is brood. Just make sure you dont leave the queen behind in the nuc, hiding somewhere in a corner, and it will be fine.

Well, kind of, merrybee - the man who sold the bees uses nuc boxes to split colonies, so they're pretty well established by the time they change hands. There are many thousands of bees in the box, therefore.

What you say is very reassuring - thanks. I will be lifting the frames out carefully and placing them in the brood box in the same order.

It has been suggested elsewhere to put a queen excluder under the BB for 24-48hrs after the transfer, just until the queen gets used to her new accommodation. What's your view on that?

GB

 

[drex]

Once the swarm is in the box, I try to leave the box as close to the swarm site as I can and go back later that evening, close up and take them home. Bunging them in the box and doing a runner is bound to leave many stragglers, which can be a nuisance to those nearby. However if it is a long trip from my home, it is not always practical, but I still hang about for an hour or two to get as many of the Flyers into the box as I can.

 

[Goldbug101]

Once the swarm is in the box, I try to leave the box as close to the swarm site as I can and go back later that evening, close up and take them home. Bunging them in the box and doing a runner is bound to leave many stragglers, which can be a nuisance to those nearby. However if it is a long trip from my home, it is not always practical, but I still hang about for an hour or two to get as many of the Flyers into the box as I can.

Makes sense - thanks, Drex.

 

[MerryBee]

Goldbug,

If you are talking about a swarm with no brood, it makes sense to use a QE under the brood box for a day or two. But for moving a small colony with queen and brood from a nuc into a brood box, a QE is not necessary.

 

[Goldbug101]

Goldbug,

If you are talking about a swarm with no brood, it makes sense to use a QE under the brood box for a day or two. But for moving a small colony with queen and brood from a nuc into a brood box, a QE is not necessary.

Thanks MerryBee - helpful.

 

[deemann1]

Well guys I opened up the swarm colony today to check on them ,the queen is laying away I see lots of little eggs in there which is super .I added another box on top full of foundation to keep them busy as the brood box foundation was nearly all pulled out and a few frames of nectar in there already, I can't believe the speed of these bee's for drawing foundation

 

[enrico]

Bees that have swarmed are all hot wired to make wax!