Swarm under hive

[Compostcritter]

Hi
My colony swarmed yesterday, but have rested under the old hive. A couple of questions.
Is this normal behaviour?
Has anyone got any idea how to get at them without disturbing the old colony, the hive is on a purpose built stand approx 35cm high.
Will they be ok in the rain they have some shelter but it is quite exposed.
Once captured can I relocate the swarm in close proximity to the old colony or will they swarm again or go back to the original hives?
Your help with my stupid questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Heather]

Was the queen clipped?- she may have fallen to the ground ,climbed up under the hive, and they have grouped around her.
You can gently remove the brood box to one side and bang the swarm into a box to relocate. Then replace original brood box. They are ok under there till you can sort.

 

[Rich0909]

I would:

- Prepare new floor and brood box adjacent with foundation or drawn comb if you have it, leaving a few frames out of the middle.
- Move the existing hive to one side leaving the floor behind.
- Lift floor and swarm over new brood box and drop the swarm in to the gap in the frames with a sharp rap.
- Replace floor and old hive in original location.
- Replace frames in the new brood box, the bees will move out of the way and let the frames drop down.
- I don't think there is any problem with locating the swarm in the same apiary.

You may get more opinions shortly...

They should be fine where they are as protected but the longer you leave it the more likely they are to find a new home and go, if they have identified a new home they may abscond even after you hive them - often worth fixing a bit of QE over the entrance for a few days or giving them a frame of brood to look after.

Rich

 

[MuswellMetro]

I would:

- Prepare new floor and brood box adjacent with foundation or drawn comb if you have it, leaving a few frames out of the middle.
- Move the existing hive to one side leaving the floor behind.
- Lift floor and swarm over new brood box and drop the swarm in to the gap in the frames with a sharp rap.
- Replace floor and old hive in original location.
- Replace frames in the new brood box, the bees will move out of the way and let the frames drop down.
- I don't think there is any problem with locating the swarm in the same apiary.

You may get more opinions shortly...

They should be fine where they are as protected but the longer you leave it the more likely they are to find a new home and go, if they have identified a new home they may abscond even after you hive them - often worth fixing a bit of QE over the entrance for a few days or giving them a frame of brood to look after.

Rich

 

[casualman]

This happened to me last September. I simply moved the brood box carefully onto a wheelbarrow and picked up the floor with adhering bees and shook them into a nuc. put in foundation and away they went.

 

[Meg]

I agree with Rich, except that I would put the swarm on the original site and the old hive next door. That way you have effectively done an artificial swarm and the foragers will stay with the queen. The other way round, not so many stay with the old queen.

Meg