Plan of action if/when catch a swarm

[Do224]

I had a quick look at the swarm I caught on 13th June today and there were a few frames of capped brood (very exciting).

I didn’t see the queen. Based on the above timescale is it probable that the swarm already had a mated queen or has there been plenty of time for a virgin to get mated and progress to having capped brood at this stage?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'd say you'll move it half a hive-width every day or two!

Where did you learn that nifty trick?
You can move a hive three feet every 24 hours no problems, further each day if you are moving it directly backwards.

 

[Sutty]

Where did you learn that nifty trick?
You can move a hive three feet every 24 hours no problems, further each day if you are moving it directly backwards.

Just no rush to please the other occupier, and keep the bees flying freely. Of course you CAN move it more, but if lots of hives around you will suffer losses to drifting.

 

[RichardK]

I had a quick look at the swarm I caught on 13th June today and there were a few frames of capped brood (very exciting).

I didn’t see the queen. Based on the above timescale is it probable that the swarm already had a mated queen or has there been plenty of time for a virgin to get mated and progress to having capped brood at this stage?

Based on those timescales a mated queen arrived with the swarm which is great. Sounds like things are progressing nicely. How many frames are they spread over?

 

[Do224]

Based on those timescales a mated queen arrived with the swarm which is great. Sounds like things are progressing nicely. How many frames are they spread over?

Cheers Richard, I thought that would be the case but I also thought that if she was a virgin and got mated in the first couple of days after capture she could have sealed brood by now. Maybe that’s unlikely though.

The bees are on four frames which they’ve fully drawn out. They’re now starting to draw out the next frame at either side

 

[RichardK]

Cheers Richard, I thought that would be the case but I also thought that if she was a virgin and got mated in the first couple of days after capture she could have sealed brood by now. Maybe that’s unlikely though.

The bees are on four frames which they’ve fully drawn out. They’re now starting to draw out the next frame at either side

I went by the timescales on this page: When will a newly-emerged queen begin to lay?

I think the word unlikely is the key one though.