Swarm in Bait Hive

[Swift Nick]

A swarm has entered my bait hive today, my son sent me a picture showing a beard of bees hanging off of the hive & he said the bees went in. The hive has two frames of 14x12 foundation, with space for 6 or 7 in total. The bait hive is about 100 feet from its final location. I intend to move the bait hive to its final location this evening. I was then going to leave the bees alone until the weekend & then add frames in the bait hive. Is that best or should I add frames ASAP? Also is it best to leave them in the bait hive or move them at the weekend into a proper brood box?
I have been taking lessons on beekeeping & have 2 nucs ordered for the end of June, but I have surprised myself by getting a swarm, so any advice on moving, adding frames or when to transfer to a new hive would be appreciated. Also I would intend to vape them before the brood is capped, I guess I should leave this as late as possible so they don't abscond.
Thanks Nick

 

[thenovice]

Yes move asap so they do not orient to the current location. as for frames, do it tonight as they will draw a box in a mater of days if a flow is on. you will see there will be some brace comb already tonight probably.
As for vaping, never done this on a swarm but ideally before day 9 before the larvae are capped. I guess you could put a QE under but once brood is present I do not see why Queen would abscond.

 

[Swift Nick]

Thanks, so would you say add frames to the bait hive & then transfer to a proper hive later?

 

[drex]

Move them to their intended permanent location Asap. Sounds like you intend to put them into another hive other than the bait box, so I would do that at the same time, also adding frames of foundation. If you do not do that as suggested in previous posts, if you left moving them more than a couple of days, when moved they would fly back to the old location of the bait hive. Also if you do not add frames they will build their own comb, where they want it rather than where you want it!
Best not to feed for a couple of days so they use up any honey they have in their crops, which may contain disease spores. If no flow then a feed after that will help them draw foundation.
Depending on the size of the swarm, do not put the full 11frames in the box at one go. I would perhaps bung in five, and dummy down, then add one or two frames at a time as they start to fill up existing frames.
If worried about absconding then you can place an excluder under the brood box.

 

[beeno]

Hi Swift Nick, How exciting is that! As drex above, but take the queen excluder under the brood box off after 3 days as she needs to go on a mating flight in case she is a virgin.

 

[Swift Nick]

Thank you for your help, it was really appreciated.
I have moved the bees & added foundation, they now have 7 frames of 14x12 foundation. This is my first hands on with bees, I have done the beginner course theory, but not the practical yet, so it was quite an experience. I made one mistake (that I know of) I put the roof on the floor & didn't turn it over (the bait hive was a quickly made ply job, so no crown board) so a lot of bees ended up on the grass, but within 15 mins they had made their way back in, amazing, adrenaline still pumping.
I will leave them alone for 3 days now, then transfer them to the proper hive & feed if necessary.
Nick

 

[thenovice]

Thank you for your help, it was really appreciated.
I have moved the bees & added foundation, they now have 7 frames of 14x12 foundation. This is my first hands on with bees, I have done the beginner course theory, but not the practical yet, so it was quite an experience. I made one mistake (that I know of) I put the roof on the floor & didn't turn it over (the bait hive was a quickly made ply job, so no crown board) so a lot of bees ended up on the grass, but within 15 mins they had made their way back in, amazing, adrenaline still pumping.
I will leave them alone for 3 days now, then transfer them to the proper hive & feed if necessary.
Nick

Well done. that's you hooked. have you got a big savings account ;-)?

 

[beeno]

Hi Nick, In case you have a virgin in there I would transfer to permanent hive late this afternoon 1700hrs-ish when they don't want to take off. Put QX on the hive floor for two days and varroa board in to make it dark for them. They want as little disturbance as poss. and you will disturb them when they might have settled in by moving them after three days IMHO.

 

[Swift Nick]

Thanks for the advice on moving the bees to the final hive, I should have done this last night, but didn't see the other post until after, first of many lessons.

As for savings, unfortunately not, but I am a hobby carpenter, so can keep the cost down a little.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

If you leave the bees space, the chances are that they will draw comb where you don't want it and avoid the foundation.

 

[MartinL]

You don't say what your "Bait hive" is,
a nuke or just a light weight box??

As previous posts have already said get them into a hive ASAP.

However don't miss the opportunity to get the bait box back to the same position that has proven to be successful already.

You have struck upon a successful combination & it is likely that scouts from more than one swarm were investigating your bait-box.

 

[enrico]

Worried that you only say you added seven frames. You need to fill the box with frames or they will build wild comb in the space you have left. This has already been mentioned but you never mentioned it so I thought I would remind you!
Well done
E

 

[Swift Nick]

Thanks, the box is just a ply box I made, only big enough for seven frames. I should have put the swarm directly in the final proper hive, the box they are in has more than a bee space, so tomorrow evening I will transfer to the proper hive, Friday I will feed them with a contact feeder on the crown board.
Tomorrow I will also get the box back out, I had it on an outbuilding roof, that backs onto a stream lined with trees. The box had a few frames of foundation and lemon grass oil. This was the second lot of major activity, last time, the week after Easter the swarm didn't arrive.
So fingers crossed, but just to get the one was very exciting, especially since I have been building kit & doing lessons through the winter, to actually have the bees is fantastic.
Thanks for the replies.