Second swarm survived

[John M]

Thanks for the advice on getting the swarm out of a chimney. It took a few hours of green grass on little fires to convince them that they needed to not come down either side of the chimney.

The up shot is that they died (poisoned by the smoke in all likelihood) and what (if any) that was left in the chimney also didn't survive. They were going to die anyway as a flu was being put in and they were not accessible to lift the combs out.

BUT...

another swarm arrived today and he did the same with the fires and they flew straight back out onto a shrub in his garden. He collected the swarm in a box and then phoned me when I finished work. I have just watched them walking up into a national BB full of frames with new foundation. I was told how amazing it is to watch them but wow... really, wow.

It was very big and I saw the queen - unmarked and I have no way of knowing whether a virgin. I have 4 pints of 1:1 syrup in a feeder above the box. How likely is it that the BB is not big enough?

As you can tell, I am in awe and feeling a little less guilty but want to keep this one!

 

[susbees]

I took one a couple of weeks ago that were spilling out the top of a commercial bb and now have most of a super filled out. You shouldn't feed for three days so any disease goes into wax building rather than stored as stores.

 

[John M]

thankyou. I had read that before, but ages ago. Just when I thought I was getting an overview of how to do this beekeeping thing!

Thinking about it, I realise that swarms draw out new foundation fast but since there is only foundation in there will there be stores within 3 days?