I thought I caught a swarm...

[Joe Sp]

Hi

I have a bait hive on my garage roof, it is a ply nuc hive with 1 frame of drawn foundation and 5 frames of undrawn. It also has a Th orns hive lure.

This morning their were loads of bee's coming and going, they have since gone. Could this have just been the scout bee's earlier? I am worried I have have disturbed them as it is quite close to my back door.

Have I done something wrong or did the bee's not like what they saw?

 

[oliver90owner]

Inspected by scouts and likely rejected on size.

40l (not 2 cubic feet or so) is generally regarded as optimum. That is around the size of a standard deep National. I usually use a 14 x 12 five/six frame nuc with a 5 frame 'Dartington' 1/2 super above.

RAB

RAB

 

[Steve Dyer]

Inspected by scouts and likely rejected on size.

40l (not 2 cubic feet or so) is generally regarded as optimum. That is around the size of a standard deep National. I usually use a 14 x 12 five/six frame nuc with a 5 frame 'Dartington' 1/2 super above.

RAB

Photo of the SD MK1.
Parts List: Wooden wine box - Courtesy Maj***ic, two gimp pins, grottiest old frame, Brick.
Construction: Saw hole, gim pin frame to lid, place on flat surface, Put Brick on top.
Optional extras: plastic sheet to waterproof, and second brick to hold sheet in place.
Useful phrase: "I'm sorry darling but they wouldn't give me a free box without buying the wine."
Design Issues: contact "Chateau Arnauld"

 

[Joe Sp]

Is it better to have the hive empty apart from one fram of drawn foundation?

 

[viridens]

The scent of the old frame is the attractant which will hopefully get the attention of scouts. The plan is to provide them with something that looks like it could make a good enclosure for a nest, something which looks like a hollow tree of the right size.
Put in more frames if you wish, but they will be quite happy to cluster in an otherwise empty box, which is a better prospect than hanging from a branch or whatever.

Steve - Your bait hive looks better built than some of my old Nationals.

 

[Steve Dyer]

Maybe I built your nationals too?

 

[fatshark]

Joe Sp

I had a hive occupied by a swarm after 2-3 days of scouts investigating it. At times there were none, at other times 50-100 bees were going in and out checking it out. Finally, as I walked past it and thought to myself "Hmmm ... no bees present" a large swarm descended (see earlier thread).

Be patient ...

 

[Rosti]

Is it better to have the hive empty apart from one fram of drawn foundation?

I find mine are most successful with 3 frames, one at each side and a real manky one in the middle (based on 14x12 BB and frames), I set up that way.

That said latest (and un-intended) catch was in a removed Nat BB discarded by the garage for 2 hrs whilst I watched my son play a footie match. Said box was on the ground and access was where the mortar between two paving slabs had eroded 'just enough' to give an entrance! Discarded 09am, fully populated and tranquil 11:30am

Bees do what bees do, sometimes they are nice enough to let us think we are keeping up with them.

 

[enrico]

They can inspect for days. Sometimes a swarm will stay in it's original resting place for two or three days before moving on and in those two or three days the scouts will come and go from the bait hive. a change in weather will often push them into their final resting place!
E

 

[Joe Sp]

Hi all

The bee's returned this afternoon before i got a chance to remove any frames. So far they seem to be staying although it is raining at the moment so there is not too much activity.

If I inspect them tomorrow is there a risk I might disturb them, is it better to leave them a couple of days to sort themselves out (assuming they stay...

 

[Bees Plus]

My tip is not to move it now. Check it out about once a week. At most top the lure up.

 

[Joe Sp]

ok thanks. Better give my neighbour some more honey, i told them would move it to my apiary as soon possible...

 

[Joe Sp]

It turned out to just be the scout bee's looking at the hive. This morning the swarm arrived!

I need to move them to my apiary tonight. Should i keep them in the nuc ot transfer to a hive straight away?

 

[responderman]

Joe Sp

I had a hive occupied by a swarm after 2-3 days of scouts investigating it. At times there were none, at other times 50-100 bees were going in and out checking it out. Finally, as I walked past it and thought to myself "Hmmm ... no bees present" a large swarm descended (see earlier thread).

Be patient ...

The very same thing happened to me this week, it was stunning to watch them move in.

 

[Joe Sp]

I agree, it was quite scary in a way, hopefully they will settle in there new home ok.