Swarms not staying in hive

[alldigging]

We've tried homing two separate swarms in a hive someone's got. Neither have stayed.

Both swarms have disappeared - one went after about an hour, and the other housed nicely last night went about 12.20 this afternoon.

Just unlucky? Or could there be something about the hive they don't like?

I've previously put a QE under a swarm in a brood box to stop them buggering off and that worked (left it on for 3 days) and now that has sealed brood etc in. Is it worth trying that?

He's gone and found another swarm somewhere this afternoon and is going to try and catch this one and put it in the hive.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I keep a strip of QE that I pin over the front entrance.....ALWAYS.
Either that or put in a frame of open brood.

 

[madasafish]

I only hive swarms in the evening when it is growing colder and darker: after 7pm at present.

This means it is more likely the swarm will stay as it is growing cold(er) and they prefer to fly in daylight..

 

[oliver90owner]

Primes or casts? Casts are notoriously fickle.

 

[alldigging]

The first was a prime, the second a cast.

lesson learnt anyway! He's put a QE on the bottom tonight!

 

[alldigging]

I only hive swarms in the evening when it is growing colder and darker: after 7pm at present.

This means it is more likely the swarm will stay as it is growing cold(er) and they prefer to fly in daylight..

Yesterdays was done at 8pm.
As was tonights!

 

[Tonyatcwfarm]

Open mesh floor or closed?

 

[alldigging]

Think the inspection board has been in every time.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Also I find it makes a big difference what you have in the hive. Foundation only? I generally hive swarms on at least 1-2 old combs and the rest foundation.

 

[alldigging]

Yup foundation only.
Ok, will look at sorting out some old combs for future swarms.

 

[Heather]

One frame of brood from another colony, even if a small cluster of eggs.. they WILL stay.

 

[Little John]

One frame of brood from another colony, even if a small cluster of eggs.. they WILL stay.

Until two weeks ago, I would never have disagreed with you - for it has been my habit when housing swarms to simply whack in a frame of open brood, then walk away leaving the box open.

But - much to my surprise - the last swarm I housed simply upped and away the following morning. Ungrateful sods. Luckily I was only a short distance from them and heard that unmistakable sound of a swarm building up, so was able to quickly grab the brood frame and return it from whence it came.

Never again will I totally rely on that method, but seal the box as well for 3 days (with ventilation & water, of course) in order that they exhaust much of the honey they're carrying.

I think what happened on this occasion was a very rare exception to an otherwise 'normally gold-plated practice' - which cost me the 2 gallons of petrol it took to capture that swarm.

Belt AND braces in future ...

LJ

 

[Ross]

I had a swarm hive itself into a spare empty hive a few weeks ago, it stayed for just over a day and then disappeared. I should have put a QX under it, it was fairly big, shame really.

Hived another swarm yesterday, QX underneath to they're not going. It was too small to be a prime swarm so I'll take it out in a couple of days.

Ross

 

[user 6228]

Think the inspection board has been in every time.

but the was the floor darkened.?.. T Seeley's research showed they are very sensitive to entrance size. So dont give them an excuse to think anything but they have a small entrance.