swarm

[Dogwalker]

I was caught unprepared today as caught a swarm in the garden about 5pm today. Cobbled together a brood box and 5 frames but the floor does not have a mesh.

Is this a problem?
should i feed them some sugar syrup to encourage them to stay?

 

[user 819]

Colonies don't have to have mesh floors.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In fact, less chance of a swarm absconding with a solid floor as they prefer a dark enclosed space

 

[GuyNir]

When they settle in a tree there’s no mesh floor either.

 

[user 819]

I going to be pedantic here, beg pardon Guy.
Inside a tree yes, outside clustering the whole world is an OMF.

 

[Curly green finger's]

When they settle in a tree there’s no mesh floor either.

Aye, i had one hanging in a small tree two years ago for 3 days untill I came home to sort them, very surprised they were still there when I came back as the lad said it rained loads the night before.

 

[Dogwalker]

I was caught unprepared today as caught a swarm in the garden about 5pm today. Cobbled together a brood box and 5 frames but the floor does not have a mesh.

Is this a problem?
should i feed them some sugar syrup to encourage them to stay?

 

[Dogwalker]

Thank you for your reply

Should i feed them sugar syrup to encourage them to stay

 

[Erichalfbee]

Give them a couple of days then you can.
I would give them drawn comb if you have any
How big a swarm is it?

 

[Dogwalker]

about the size of a kids football

 

[Wilco]

If you have a frame of young brood you can spare from another colony I'd recommend putting one in, at least until the queen is laying. I do this and feed and find it tends to drop swarm losses to zero.

 

[Boston Bees]

If you have a frame of young brood you can spare from another colony I'd recommend putting one in, at least until the queen is laying. I do this and feed and find it tends to drop swarm losses to zero.

I don't do this and I also find swarm losses are zero (and my existing hives are grateful)

 

[Wilco]

I don't do this and I also find swarm losses are zero (and my existing hives are grateful)

Interesting. I've know one or two locally who feed but often lose swarms... And have lost them historically myself without the brood. Had theorised this was the difference. Do you have an alternative theory?

 

[Ian123]

Some swarms abscond after housing, you can have 20 that don’t and then a couple that do. You can add a frame of brood or place a queen excluder under for a couple of days if you can be bothered.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Some swarms abscond after housing, you can have 20 that don’t and then a couple that do. You can add a frame of brood or place a queen excluder under for a couple of days if you can be bothered.

I've had two abscond 2020 don't think they liked the bait hive omf floor? 2 frames of Comb, single brood box, travelled half a mile down the road to another bait hive that was a 14x12, solid floor and had more frames of comb older box to.
2019 I had to hive a swarm 3 times eventually on the third attempt I gave them a frame of brood which worked.
Im in the mind if they stay they stay can't be doing with faffing with swarms I do enough of that.

 

[Dogwalker]

I was caught unprepared today as caught a swarm in the garden about 5pm today. Cobbled together a brood box and 5 frames but the floor does not have a mesh.

Is this a problem?
should i feed them some sugar syrup to encourage them to stay?

I've had two abscond 2020 don't think they liked the bait hive omf floor? 2 frames of Comb, single brood box, travelled half a mile down the road to another bait hive that was a 14x12, solid floor and had more frames of comb older box to.
2019 I had to hive a swarm 3 times eventually on the third attempt I gave them a frame of brood which worked.
Im in the mind if they stay they stay can't be doing with faffing with swarms I do enough of that.

 

[Dogwalker]

the swarm i mentioned at the start of conversation is not taking the sugar syrup
Any reason or are they just fussy/

 

[Ian123]

What type of feeder? Try trickling a little down for them to start with

 

[user 819]

Carry out a nosema check if not taking syrup down, even with enticement.

 

[oliver90owner]

What type of feeder? Try trickling a little down for them to start with

Try dribbling a little of their honey from the feeder. That should get them up there even better/faster than plain sugar syrup.