Swarm stragglers?

[Nordicul]

Hi All,

Seeking the wisdom of the hive about swarm stragglers.
Yesterday I caught and hived my first swarm

Small it was most likely a cast i put them in a 6 frame nuc and opened their entrance today.

Although I thought I had them all,there are at least a dozen or so hanging around the swarms last abode this am.

Having now developed a protective instinct for bees I am loath to leave them out in the cold. I could probably get them and tip them out next to their sisters new home,but wondering if this a good idea?

As I’ve read somewhere that these “stragglers” are scout bees and if joined with the newly hived swarm could lead them astray again, mmmh is this true and I should just leave them?
Tia

 

[enrico]

seriously? for a dozen I wouldn't worry! If you do really worry then try it, all you have to lose is a swarm for the sake of a dozen bees!

 

[Millet]

I housed a small swarm a couple of weeks back and i noticed the same as you for a day or two later, i just let them get on with it and all is fine, you could spray the spot where the swarm was last with air freshener if they are being a nuisance.

 

[Nordicul]

Thanks for your wisdom Enrico and Millet, I'll let em bee.

The girls I hived yesterday seem to be happy and working away on orientation flights.

However it may be coincidence but two other Nuc boxes I have out as bait boxes are now getting serious attention by bees from somewhere

My own hives are due an inspection today and I hope it's not from them though both have clipped Queens in them...watch this space

 

[mike99]

I moved my bait Nuc onto our patio temporarily and all of a sudden there have been a few bees checking it out on a daily basis. there is no honey so robbing is out of the question. I wonder if they are just measuring up for curtains and carpets?

 

[simonforeman]

I wasn't going to reset my bait hive again this year after catching my first swarm in my first year but due to reading posts on the site think we should catch as many as possible... better in my bait box than in one of my chimneys. Have had some interest today after putting it back up.....

 

[REDWOOD]

I housed a small swarm a couple of weeks back and i noticed the same as you for a day or two later, i just let them get on with it and all is fine, you could spray the spot where the swarm was last with air freshener if they are being a nuisance.

 

[Vortex]

I had a callout yesterday afternoon to a swarm (likely secondary cast from its size). It was wrapped about a 2" diameter tree. Having "moved" it to a nuc box and sprayed the tree with air-freshener (it's a good trick to remember) and waited 2 hours there were still about a dozen bees flying about (sometimes they just don't get the message).
There comes a point where it's time to just cut your losses - so I closed the box up at that point and went home. Sometimes the stragglers will choose to land and you can throw a sheet over them but at 6:15pm in 23C heat that just wasn't going to happen.