Plan of action if/when catch a swarm

[RichardK]

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

When I posted a similar question on a French forum, the view was they'd be fine even if left all night.

What proportion are inside?
How accessible is you bait hive?
And where are they resting - underneath the bait hive?

 

[Erichalfbee]

They might well stay there. I’d be up there scooping them in. That’s the advantage of having your bait hive on a flat.....ish roof.

 

[Do224]

They might well stay there. I’d be up there scooping them in. That’s the advantage of having your bait hive on a flat.....ish roof.

Just been out and it looks like they’ve gone into the box....but I’ve just seen the queen running round on the front of the box, she went in then came back out again then took flight but landed back on the box and started running around again. She’s not marked....

 

[Erichalfbee]

Just been out and it looks like they’ve gone into the box....but I’ve just seen the queen running round on the front of the box, she went in then came back out again then took flight but landed back on the box and started running around again. She’s not marked....

If they are in the box then the queen is right inside with them.
Wonderful. Now you have bees, the irresistible kind........free

 

[Do224]

Absolutely thrilled to have witnessed that today. I spoke to a guy at my local association and the plan is to leave them up the tree for two or three days then bring them down and replace the 9 frames that have starter strips for full new frames of foundation. Then move the colony approx two miles (he seemed to think this wouldn’t be an issue?) to the apiary. He also says to feed with syrup from Thursday for a week or two?

 

[RichardK]

Have you taken a peek inside?!?

 

[Do224]

Have you taken a peek inside?!?

Wish I could but it’s not the easiest thing to get down and I can’t get the lid off while it’s up there because of the way it’s secured. Wish I’d actually seen them go in.....I’m pretty sure they have but it’s not the same as actually knowing they’re in there for sure

 

[RichardK]

Wish I could but it’s not the easiest thing to get down and I can’t get the lid off while it’s up there because of the way it’s secured. Wish I’d actually seen them go in.....I’m pretty sure they have but it’s not the same as actually knowing they’re in there for sure

We'll have to compare YouTube vids...I've nearly finished mine from 3 weeks ago! ... and been trying to do weekly updates to show the progress by week. Your swarm looks pretty much the same size as mine were hence will be interesting to see how they progress. When I have it posted I'll put a link up - I'd be interested if you did the same.

 

[Do224]

We'll have to compare YouTube vids...I've nearly finished mine from 3 weeks ago! ... and been trying to do weekly updates to show the progress by week. Your swarm looks pretty much the same size as mine were hence will be interesting to see how they progress. When I have it posted I'll put a link up - I'd be interested if you did the same.

Excellent, do you have a YouTube channel already or will this be your first video?

 

[Newbeeneil]

I’d be up there scooping them in.

Correction, Stan would be up there scooping them in

 

[Erichalfbee]

Correction, Stan would be up there scooping them in

 

[HarryO]

I collected two swarms 4 days apart.
1. They have now been hived for 10 days (separate hives / colonies).
2. Gave each feed after first 3 days.
3. Not inspected either yet.
4. Following some splits and Artificial. Swarm manipulations and a Demarree (which is now two hives) I also have a feeling that this demarree resulted in one of the swarms.
5. I now feel I have too many hives for my ‘needs’ and I have some surgery coming up.
6. My question is about uniting the two swarm colonies / hives. Is this advisable? Are there any things are should be wary of?
It is a shame one of the queens will have to go. If one of the queens is marked that is the one that will go, I will keep the new, young queen.

 

[RichardK]

Excellent, do you have a YouTube channel already or will this be your first video?

I do have a channel - well 2. One French which is more active and 1 English. Typically is been renovation stuff, now to be interspersed with bees!

 

[Do224]

Excited to be moving my new swarm later. I’m just intending to wait until an hour before dusk and then gaffa tape up the entrance and wrap the box in a sheet for transportation. It’s only a short two mile journey so I’m guessing they’ll be ok cooked up like that for a short while.

I’m planning to remove the tape over the entrance as soon as I get them moved this evening....is that the right thing to do or should I be removing it in the morning?

Tomorrow (or Friday if it would be better?) I’m intending to transfer them into the proper hive and replace the ‘starter strip frames’ with new full frames of foundation. I’m not sure what time of day would be best to do the transfer...in the afternoon when it’s warm or late in the evening?

Once transferred I’m intending to give them some syrup. I’m not sure what concentration to give them, how much and for how long?

Thanks for everybody’s help so far, i’ve really found it invaluable

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sponge then tape or you’ll get bees stuck on the tape. Bit of a bugger if one is the queen. Transfer when the bees are flying. Not at the end of the day. Yes you could give them some syrup tomorrow. A litre to start with doesn’t matter what concentration

 

[Do224]

Sponge then tape or you’ll get bees stuck on the tape. Bit of a bugger if one is the queen. Transfer when the bees are flying. Not at the end of the day. Yes you could give them some syrup tomorrow. A litre to start with doesn’t matter what concentration

Thanks for the tip about putting sponge behind the tape. I got them moved this evening.

Can I ask the reasoning behind why I should do the transfer when the bees are flying? If there is a virgin queen in the swarm and she happens to be on a mating flight when I do the transfer I thought it might disorientate her when she returns...

 

[Swarm]

Confusion by the look of it.
Transfer = From box to hive.

 

[Do224]

Confusion by the look of it.
Transfer = From box to hive.

I get that it’s the transfer from the box to the hive but I still thought that might confuse a returning queen....I read somewhere on here that even if you happen to be stood by the hive when the virgin leaves, then you better still be stood there when she returns or she won’t find her way back in. I thought a change of box might have a similar effect....it would look a bit different when she returned.

Guess I must be wrong but just wanted to check. I always like to try and understand the reasoning behind what I’m doing....so is the reason I should do the transfer while they’re flying because I’ll have less bees to deal with, or because it’s warmer at that time of day, or something else completely? Hope you don’t mind me asking....sorry if the answer is something obvious

 

[user 819]

Now the bees have been moved and locked in, no need to worry about the VQ or Q, In the morning simply transfer the bees form one box to the other.
The Q won't be flying early morning.

 

[Do224]

Now the bees have been moved and locked in, no need to worry about the VQ or Q, In the morning simply transfer the bees form one box tot he other.
The Q won't be flying early morning.

Earlier post said to ‘transfer when bees are flying, not at the end of the day’.

If I transfer early morning isn’t that the same as doing it at the end of the day? Also, if I did it this morning would the bees have had chance to become ‘locked in’ as I only moved them to the new site last night?