New keeper, new hive, bee question.

[billycasper]

I have a new hive being delivered next week and have gone into overdrive on reading, research and spending time with a friend of mine who has had a couple of hives for a few years.

My intention was to put out a bait hive for this summer and try use a few methods of luring a swarm rather than buy a nuc.

I was sat in my local last night chatting to a neighbour about my interest in bees and explain some of my new found knowledge when they explained that they had a swarm living in an air-vent on their garage. They hadn't yet had it removed as the bees seem quite placid and were not problem to them but they were about to call someone.

Is this too good an opportunity to miss or am i missing an obvious danger that many of you may warn me of, and if it is a great opportunity to acquire some local bees, how would you advise i go about it?

 

[Polyanwood]

If you have the money it is much better to buy a standard nucleus from a reputable breeder with a laying queen, brood in all stages and stores. You might even get a little bit of honey this year if you do that.

 

[the beehive lodge]

if the bees have been in there for some time its not a swarm so i would be careful as they may defend it well if they have lots of comb it will have to be cut out with brood at all stages making sure the Q can be found and it all resited in one go if you know a bee buddy with a few swarm collection under their belt could help you but what an opputunity go for it if it is an easy extraction good luck let us know how it turns out