New hive and swarm capture

[DALEGREEN]

I had a large wild bee colony in my outhouse and decided to buy a hive to try to encourage them to move house. i Bought a National Hive kit with a brood box and two supers but before I had finished building it a swarm formed in a bush in my garden.I managed to capture it in a box and built the hive but despite reading that if you put the swarm on a sheet in front of the hive they would march in I could not persuade them to move in. ( I had not got any swarm attractant but put some honey in there). Finally after a very rainy day with the bees sitting there looking very sorry for themselves I put the swarm into the top super and put the lid on. Now 2 weeks later the bees are happily living in the hive with lots of coming and going through the main entrance. Main problem is they all appear to be in residence in the empty super rather than in the brood box which I filled with 11 frames complete with wax comb. How do I persuade them to move down. When I open the top there is a very large congregation of bees attached to the roof? Help

 

[gmonag]

Have you placed the queen excluder between the boxes? That would stop them moving down.

Just shake them into the bottom box.

 

[bingevader]

They will move down on their own given time if you don't mind waiting.
We stopped using queen excluders a few years back and always end up with supers full of honey.
But as we are in the beginner's section, I'm not suggesting you do that, before anyone starts grumbling!
If you are going to put a queen excluder in, just make sure the queen is below in the brood box before you finish.
If there's any drone comb in the super, you'll need to let them out when they hatch as they won't fit through the excluder.

 

[DALEGREEN]

No I have not put the queen excluder in but they are above the crown board. Should I remove this at night and shake them down or during the day time?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Shake them into the bottom box today. Nice and sunny.
Next time you have a swarm tip them straight into a brood box. None of this walking them in.
You might not have a queen if they wouldn’t go in, mind.

 

[Repwoc]

Don't open the hive at night. They can get quite stroppy if you do that.

It sounds like you have the crown board between the super and brood chamber. Move it so it's on top of the super(s) and below the roof. I would do it immediately if you can.

 

[Murox]

Does your crown board have holes in it ? if so seal them up. Just shake them out/off the underside of the roof into the hive, replace crown board and put the roof back on.

 

[Swarm]

Have you done a course at all?

 

[drex]

You say they are in an empty super ( which I assume means you did not put any frames in) but above the crown board. The order of boxes should be floor, brood , super, crown board ( no holes) and roof. please clarify the order of you boxes etc and whether they are inhabiting frames or have built their own comb. Two weeks, I think you say, so is there any brood that you can see?

 

[DALEGREEN]

So I have managed to remove the crownboard but there are two 8 inch accross combs attached to the underside of the roof. Do I have to remove this so I can put the crown back above the super or should I leave them to it?

 

[Repwoc]

Is there any brood in the wild comb?

 

[DALEGREEN]

I have it arranged floor, brood with frames, super with frames, then crownboard. When I realised I would have to tip them in I put a spare super on top but forgot to remove the crownboard. The crownboard has the two holes with no plastic stoppers so there is plenty of access to the lower part but they have built 2 substantial (8" accross) combs in the top empty super.
I have now removed the crownboard but not sure whether to try removing the comb attached to the roof?

 

[DALEGREEN]

Wild comb looks to be clear at present.

 

[DALEGREEN]

Read a book only I am afraid. With lockdown in west wales I thought this would be a hobby to keep me out of mischief but it looks like I was wrong!

 

[Repwoc]

It may be a cast swarm (ie with a virgin queen) and the queen hasn't started to lay yet. If you are sure that there isn't any brood then you can simply cut it away AFTER making sure there are no bees on it, especially the queen.

When you moved the crown board and thereby transferred the bees into the lower super, did you also remove the queen excluder? If not you should remove the excluder, shake all the bees into the bottom box (brood chamber) then replace the excluder, crown board and roof. The super isn't necessary yet. Put it back when there are several frames of brood in the brood chamber.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Remove the comb, remove the super (I'm assuming there's frames and foundation in the brood box?) put the crown board back and put a piece of slate or tile over the holes, hope for the best.

 

[drex]

As per JBM, in view of your inexperience keep it as simple as possible as he suggests. A feed would help them draw comb. Insulation above crown board and under roof will help too.
Welcome to this wonderful hobby. The first two years is a steep learning curve. Not as simple as just bunging bees in a box. Read plenty and this forum is a great resource.

 

[DALEGREEN]

Remove the comb, remove the super (I'm assuming there's frames and foundation in the brood box?) put the crown board back and put a piece of slate or tile over the holes, hope for the best.

Can certainly subscribe to the panic but no contentment yet! I will try to remove the comb and put the crownboard back later when they are a bit calmer. The smoking does not seem to keep them quiet for long?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Welcome to this wonderful hobby. The first two years is a steep learning curve.

The following decade is an uncontrolled downhill careering.
After that, you get used to the feelings of helplessness

The smoking does not seem to keep them quiet for long?

It often makes them worse

 

[Erichalfbee]

Can certainly subscribe to the panic but no contentment yet! I will try to remove the comb and put the crownboard back later when they are a bit calmer. The smoking does not seem to keep them quiet for long?

Have you a spare roof?
Then you can deal with the comb at home.