Swarm Behavior

[chrischris]

Hello everyone, I was wondering if you more experienced beeks could offer an explanation re the following - Last night a neighbour came round to saying there was a swarm of bees in his garden (not mine I hasten to add) so off I went with all my kit and sure enough there was a swarm of bees in a bush clustered round the main stem. Bearing in mind this was my first attempt at collecting a swarm I set up my nuke box really close to the bees and used a bit of carboard leading up from the bees to the nuke box, next I gave them a couple of puffs of smoke and low and behold they started marching up the slope to the box, after about 10 mins they were all inside, the neighbour was well impressed. Then they promptly came back out again and clustered on the front of the box and underneath it, back to square one, so next I went and got a national brood box and shook them into that put the top on and there they stayed, so I was left wondering why they did not stay in the nuke box as it was not a large swarm, small football size, any thoughts or advice anyone would be much appreciated.

 

[susbees]

A swarm will naturally choose a box of around National brood box size. They have ambition

 

[Midland Beek]

A pair of seccateurs are useful when swarm collecting. Rather than trying to get a swarm off whatever vegetation it is on, it is sometimes easier to cut off the vegetation and them bump or place into a box.