Swarm Advice

[Smuffles]

Hi collected a swarm today in a box around 5 pm but left the box at the location until 9 pm to let the few bees I'd not boxed find there way into the box.

What is best to do now? Do I transfer them into a new hive tonight or leave them until morning?
They have ventilation but do i need to give them water?

Cheers

 

[Rich0909]

They should be fine as they are until the morning.

Rich

 

[VEG]

Yep a bit late in the evening to mess them about, sort them out in the morning. They wont need water either.

 

[richardbees]

tbh I've never left a boxed swarm overnight but they're certainly self-sufficient and don't need watering.
However, you stand the risk of them absconding first thing tomorrow. If it were me, I'd hive them tonight and put a QE underneath, make sure you've got enough light.....no doubt many will disagree!
good luck, Richard

 

[oliver90owner]

They will just need plenty of ventilation.

They will not abscond too quickly unless they are still fairly local to their area, in which case they could be off to their chosen home. If too hot they would likely relocate to a nearby branch or the top of a tree, so beware.

 

[Outlander]

Also agree with the above, leave till morning, unless you have all ready done it.

I was keen to hive them as soon as I got them home but it only takes failing light being tiered and stressed and things go wrong. Though I’ve only been keeping for a year I have collected a good few swarms and have not had one abscond because left till the next morning though it is bound to happen at some point, I place them where they are to be hived and leave entrance open also. Don’t believe there is a right or wrong way to do it just a safe way. And that’s me talking who had bees escape from a hive I was moving in my car. Several thousand little faces looking out of the back window.

 

[beeno]

tbh I've never left a boxed swarm overnight but they're certainly self-sufficient and don't need watering.
However, you stand the risk of them absconding first thing tomorrow. If it were me, I'd hive them tonight and put a QE underneath, make sure you've got enough light.....no doubt many will disagree!
good luck, Richard

When you have done it once this way you will always do it this way - soo easy. They don't want to go anywhere else just into the hive. Left a carboard box in the garage once because I was out of gear and they started to chew their way out! Caught them on time, but they obviously don't like it!

 

[Finman]

.
If you take a frame of larvae from another hive, bees go to nurse them and settle down.

 

[psafloyd]

YOu can chuck them in another box late at night. They'll be glad to be in somewhere nicer than the box...

 

[Smuffles]

Update

Hived them first thing this morning they seem to like their new home so far. Should I feed them now or wait a day? and how strong/much would you give them.

Cheers

 

[richardbees]

Smuffles

That's good....you are now better off by whatever a "silver spoon" is worth!

imo they don't need feeding

 

[Rich0909]

Common advice is to not feed for 2-3 days to let them use up what they brought with them but not convinced that is really important. I rarely feed swarms as they seem to have the vigor to collect nectar and draw comb without help but if they are on only foundation or there is little forage around there is no harm in feeding light syrup until all frames are drawn.

Rich.