My bees have swarmed - help please

[Lindylou]

Hi all, as the title says, they have swarmed. This was on Friday and as we are
very new to beekeeping (and was assured by the beekeeper we got them from) that as she was a very new queen, wouldnt swarm this year. Huh!!
We watched as they flew off down the road, not really knowing what we should do. After inspecting hive we found about 10 QC, we kept 2, one sealed and one just in the process of being sealed. Then this afternoon I found a swarm (I assume it is ours) in the hedge in a ditch beside our bungalow. They definitely weren't there this morning. We have placed a box on top of swarm - which isnt very large - and really not sure what is the best to do now. We have had several different opinions from beekeepers we have rung but we feel quite anxious now about how to get box from hedge and how to reintroduce bees back into their hive.

As I said we are very new to this so please be gentle.

 

[Lesley Hoppy]

Mine did the same yesterday. You really need a spare nuc box or hive to put them in.
They have swarmed for a reason - and if you just put them back in the hive they came from - they will do it again as I understand it...
I am only a second year beekeeper so I know virtually nothing.... hopefully someone will come along with a lot more experience! Good luck!

 

[protheroe]

i picked up a swarm from a hedge earlier,cut the branch,dumped them in a hive with a frame of stores and job done.Check yours this evening and if they are in the box,just remove it to where they are going to stay,if they are not all in the box you might have to cut some branches to get them all.Most of the time i shake them into the hive . A frame of young brood normally keeps them there

 

[meidel]

I'm fairly new too so my advice is probably not as thorough as some of the old hands would be.

But I wouldn't leave the sealed QC in and only leave them the one which is unsealed - they may swarm when the sealed queen emerges because they consider that there'll be the other queen to emerge. I say leave the unsealed one so that you can see and estimate slightly more accurately when the queen will emerge - roughly a week to 8 days from actually being sealed.

And you wouldn't really put a swarm back into the original hive as they may swarm again ...

I've never smoked bees upwards into a box, but I know other beeks to have done this to encourage a swarm to go in - another trick is to place a frame of drawn comb in the box as bait.

good luck

 

[Lindylou]

Sounds easy doesnt it. However this swarm is not on a cuttable (not sure that is a word) piece of hedge. And it is flipping awkward to get to. Steep sided ditch with weeds and nettles higher than we are and hubby had to stand on tiptoes to get box on top of swarm. Gawd am feeling nervous about doing this.

 

[ratcatcher]

off the top of my head, a pillow case held open with a wire coat hanger on the end of a broomstick, push under swarm then shake bush, as long as the queen goes in, you'll then be able to lean the contraption against the bush for the fliers to settle in, once all in you could make a makeshift nuc from a large plastic flower pot, drill a few small holes in bottom, a few bigger ones (but bee space big) around sides, cover with old net curtain if your worried, and an entrance hole, place a piece of flat ply on top, that would be the starting on a top bar hive nuc, utube it...

 

[Drinkstone]

As you know we started this year to! Ours swarmed four days into keeping bees into a ditch and covered in brambles. Do what you have done and scoop as many into the box as you can, tip the box opening downwards near the remaining bees. If you have the queen the rest will follow before night falls. If you have not got the queen repeat procedure, is queen marked?
They then need to go into a new hive I am sure it is possible to re introduce to one hive given the procedure but I don't yet know how.
Go for it, suit up although swarms apparently don't normally sting, don't be nervous and just do it. Anyone who keeps GSD can deal with a few bees good luck, all the advice you have been given points in the same direction?

 

[Outlander]

Lindy I get of work around 9 this evening and I can get to you before it gets to dark I don't mind coming and helping out. If to dark by time I could get to you am available first thing tomorrow ill pm my phone number to you if you decided you would like a little help