Plan of action if/when catch a swarm

[ericbeaumont]

That sounds as if it was a prime swarm.

Just remembered: the prime came out a week before on a bus stop, but disappeared (so the caller said).

All I got was a cast in a back garden pear tree 100yds away.

 

[Erichalfbee]

No, a tiddly cast on 2.5 frames in a 6f nuc box.

Does size matter?
This was a Prime.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

And remember - a prime swarm can be headed by a virgin.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Does size matter?
This was a Prime.

What's the story?

 

[Erichalfbee]

What's the story?

This came from the "wild" bees in the box in the tree at the bottom of the garden Mid April 2018. We watched them leave and settle in the ornamental plum. You can see the queen in the middle. Starvation swarm I reckon. I thought the colony was dead. We caught them and made a nuc up. The queen has finally been superseded this year. They did well for her those few bees.

 

[Dorchop]

On a similar subject a swarm took up residence last Tuesday in a hive with old comb
I counted a mite drop over 24 hours of 2
Is it a good idea to treat quickly before brood is capped since all the mites will be phoretic?
I have Apiguard
I don’t have anything else
I’m a newbie and this is what I used last autumn
I know the bees don’t like it much but perhaps I’d be missing an opportunity
Thanks

 

[Katherine]

I have bees looking quite busy at my trap today. I am curious how you do a quick look without disturbing the bees. Your trap set up must be different from mine. My trap is strapped to a tree and a quick peek not possible. I am assuming I should leave it 2 to 3 weeks before rehousing it in my apiary, having done a spell 3 miles or more away. Is this approach valid? It is a 5 frame Layens nuc btw.

 

[Katherine]

A quick 30sec check without smoke is different from a full inspection.

I have bees looking quite busy at my trap today. I am curious how you do a quick look without disturbing the bees. Your trap set up must be different from mine. My trap is strapped to a tree and a quick peek not possible. I am assuming I should leave it 2 to 3 weeks before rehousing it in my apiary, having done a spell 3 miles or more away. Is this approach valid? It is a 5 frame Lauens nuc btw.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I move my swarm trap the same evening. The apiary is only a quarter of a mile away so I do get the early foragers returning. The trap is a perfectly liveable in box so I leave them in it till they outgrow it

 

[ericbeaumont]

I am curious how you do a quick look without disturbing the bees. Your trap set up must be different from mine.

I was referring to a quick check for eggs having hived at ground level a few days or a week earlier.

My traps are different in that they take no time or effort and are within reach: a stack of boxes with combs is pretty attractive; one arrives every year in some pile or other.

One time after a demo I left a nuc box on a lawn at Copped Hall, up near Epping. A few weeks later a reminder arrived: you've forgotten your equipment, so reluctantly I went up to find the box much heavier than when I'd left it: box was rammed with a prime.

 

[Katherine]

Ok thanks.There's hope for me yet. Scout bees circling and going in and out yesterday.

 

[Katherine]

I move my swarm trap the same evening. The apiary is only a quarter of a mile away so I do get the early foragers returning. The trap is a perfectly liveable in box so I leave them in it till they outgrow it

My trap is about100m from the apiary. The 3feet 3 mile rules applies doesn't it? I am confused as different people seem to be saying different things.

 

[Newbeeneil]

My trap is about100m from the apiary. The 3feet 3 mile rules applies doesn't it? I am confused as different people seem to be saying different things.

If you move the bait hive within a day or so of the swarm arriving the orientation system of the bees will still be in swarm mode so moving will have little effect.

 

[Katherine]

As I understand, either you move the box to the apiary the same night after the swarm moves in and that can be any distance, or if the swarm is left to start brood, 7 days or so, then the 3 or 3 rule applies. Is this a correct summary or are there more "it depends"?

If you move the bait hive within a day or so of the swarm arriving the orientation system of the bees will still be in swarm mode so moving will have little effect.

Ok great.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I’ve had a few early foragers come back. This time I left them a super then in the evening put that on top of the swarm. Maybe half are back this morning so I don’t think I’ll bother next time. Anyway they have a new bait hive to play in

 

[Do224]

I’ve had a few early foragers come back. This time I left them a super then in the evening put that on top of the swarm. Maybe half are back this morning so I don’t think I’ll bother next time. Anyway they have a new bait hive to play in

Swarm has arrived! So incredible to watch and hear them arrive. They’re clustered on the box at the minute. Some are going in and out but the main cluster is just staying on the edge of the box. Shall I just leave them to it and hope they go in?

If they go into the box my plan is to move them to the apiary late this evening and swap the starter strip frames for full frames of foundation. Then leave them for a week before transferring them into the proper hive....

Any advice greatly appreciated! I filmed the swarm arriving which was fantastic....I’ll make a YouTube vid of it at some point

 

[Erichalfbee]

Hooray
I put foundation in before I move them
Give them a few hours to go in

 

[Niv]

I picked up a swarm yesterday but have been told that there is a 'fist sized' clump of bees on the original spot, a post, (much smaller than the swarm picked up). Is this likely to be foragers/scouts that returned? If the whole swarm had returned i would expect it to be a broadly similar size. I am going out there this evening but wanted to see your thoughts to give me an idea what to expect.

 

[RichardK]

Swarm has arrived! So incredible to watch and hear them arrive. They’re clustered on the box at the minute. Some are going in and out but the main cluster is just staying on the edge of the box. Shall I just leave them to it and hope they go in?

If they go into the box my plan is to move them to the apiary late this evening and swap the starter strip frames for full frames of foundation. Then leave them for a week before transferring them into the proper hive....

Any advice greatly appreciated! I filmed the swarm arriving which was fantastic....I’ll make a YouTube vid of it at some point

Yes!! Congratulations - it is amazing to watch isn't it!

The first of my swarms wouldn't go in. After about 4 hours I brushed them into a bucket & put them straight into a 10 frame hive. In retrospect I perhaps should have put them into a 5 frame hive I have as even now they are still only on 4 frames 3 weeks later. New bees emerging this week though.

As a beginner I think it's hard to tell how big a swarm is & what space is required.

 

[Do224]

Hooray
I put foundation in before I move them
Give them a few hours to go in

Still no movement....am I risking losing them if I leave them too long?