Swarm clinging to crownboard over a empty super as an eke- can I leave it?

[Jim Newmark]

I caught the swarm yesterday but made the mistake of leaving the empty super that I used as an eke on too long. Do I need to shake it down (and upset them?!) and take away the eke, or will the swarm eventually make its own way down and settle? There is food and brood waiting for it downstairs. Or is there a chance of them ignoring that and setting off again?

 

[Erichalfbee]

A swarm needs to be in an empty box.
NO food
NO brood....where did that come from?

Put them in a box of foundation.
Queen excluder on the floor or a small piece over the entrance.
Leave 3 days.
Take excluder off and give a feed.

 

[beeno]

Hi Jim,
Any readjustments make sevenish tonight when they don't want to fly off. If you have not got QE on to keep them in then shut them in for three days and feed if they have been hanging around as swarm. Let them out fiveish day three. Works for me!

 

[Jim Newmark]

A swarm needs to be in an empty box.
NO food
NO brood....where did that come from?

Sorry, possible misunderstanding. I put them there before hiving

 

[Erichalfbee]

I still don't understand.
You caught a swarm and dropped them into your eke(the super) which is sitting on a brood box which had store frames and brood frames in it?

 

[Luminos]

Someone (Finman I think?) said if you put a frame of brood in, it wlll encourage a swarm to stay?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Ah....I see the reasoning
Drop the lot into the bottom box then, remove super add crown board.
I've never put brood into a swarm, just a bit of excluder over entrance.....saves faffing around suiting up and lifting brood box off excluder on floor.

 

[Jim Newmark]

I still don't understand.
You caught a swarm and dropped them into your eke(the super) which is sitting on a brood box which had store frames and brood frames in it?

Yes, one of each, taken from the hive from which they had swarmed, with the rest of the frames just foundation. (I have an enclosed garden which really has really helped as they always swarm to a convenient low tree or bush nearby.) I had read somewhere that as long as it is not from a different colony (disease) then it was OK to do this as it is thought to help persuade them to stay. Is that right?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes, one of each, taken from the hive from which they had swarmed, with the rest of the frames just foundation. (I have an enclosed garden which really has really helped as they always swarm to a convenient low tree or bush nearby.) I had read somewhere that as long as it is not from a different colony (disease) then it was OK to do this as it is thought to help persuade them to stay. Is that right?

Yep
just knock them all down into the bottom box

 

[johncorne]

About the only certainty with bees is that if you allow them an empty space, they will build comb in it!

Jc

 

[Jim Newmark]

Thanks! I will wait for a gap between showers

 

[Jim Newmark]

Yep
just knock them all down into the bottom box

Sorry, one last thing. Do I trap them in for a day or two?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I wouldn't
Just put a strip of QE over the entrance for three days

 

[Jim Newmark]

I wouldn't
Just put a strip of QE over the entrance for three days

So elegant, never thought of that. Thanks

 

[Roger]

I wouldn't
Just put a strip of QE over the entrance for three days

It is worth remembering that should one have an unmated queen in the box she will not be able to get out to mate while QE is on, or back in if already out.

Roger

 

[Jim Newmark]

It is worth remembering that should one have an unmated queen in the box she will not be able to get out to mate while QE is on, or back in if already out.

Roger

She will be unmated, but surely the bees have other things to think about for the first three days? Or am I making her unnecessarily frustrated? Is it known, in normal circumstances, approximately how long after swarming does she mate?

 

[Swarm]

Some fit an excluder, some don't.

 

[Roger]

She will be unmated, but surely the bees have other things to think about for the first three days? Or am I making her unnecessarily frustrated? Is it known, in normal circumstances, approximately how long after swarming does she mate?

Weather has a big influence is my guess, how old she was when she swarmed if poor weather kept her in original hive after hatching. Then having to accommodate orientating flights and mating flights.
Roger