Help! late swarm

[ManitobaBeekeeper]

Hi all, I would really appreciate some sage advice at this time -- I caught a feral swarm yesterday (maybe enough to cover 6-8 deep combs, August 5), and I'm wondering if they will build up enough before winter to winter outdoors? I'm about 150 mi. N. of the lattitute of Winnipeg City. If not, is there any way to overwinter them without a building (i.e. an empty freezer) or if I have to unite them with another colony, is it possible to save the queen alive in an indoor nuc or something like that?

Any help is welcome, thanks

Jeffrey

[peggjam]

If you feed them they should be able to build up enough to over winter outside. Don't forget to give them a good quality pollen subsitute as well as the sugarwater:).

If you don't think they would make it outside, you could always sit them in your basement with an outside entrance, that should work as long as they are kept cool:).

[ManitobaBeekeeper]

Hmm thanks. Thats interesting, I didn't know it was so easy to winter indoors. One question, though -- are you sure they need pollen substitute? We are in an area with high pollen levels, and there's still a good flow on. Do you not think they'd collect enough?

[peggjam]

I don't think it would hurt anything, and sure would provide a leg up on their building up to winter. Remember, they not only have to provide enough natural pollen to support current hive growth, but they also have to store enough to allow spring build up, which begins at a time when it doesn't do a whole lot of good to put on pollen subsitute simiply because they can't get to it.:)

[timgoodin]

If you have drawn comb the seem to work better. They don't have to expend all that energy to make comb and can concentrate on buildup. I'm a new beek so look around this board for other ideas but I did find that nucs I made this year did much better when I could give them drawn comb.

Tim

[Billy Y.]

If you have some boxes with drawn comb and feed they should be able to pull through.

If not then I don't think they would get enough comb drawn before cold weather settles in.

You might consider combining them with a exsisting weak colony.

[RBar]

If you took a frame or two from a couple of other hives, add foundation frames to the outside ones, they would probably be oK...
Brood from the other hives will continue to build the population, queen should immediately start laying since comb is already there, and the hatching bees will nurse the feral bee larve. You don't lose population so much this way, like you do with a new swarm over the first weeks.
Where are you?...OOPS, Canada...don't know about that. Don't want to over weaken your other hives.

[BjornBee]

I think Rbar has it nailed. For me, there no such thing as a "too late" swarm. A couple frames from enough hives, and I can build a colony in a short period of time that will make it thriough winter.
A strong hive will never miss a couple frames.

[dgl1948]

Give them frames that are drawn out. We are still haveing a good flow as crops were later with all the rain and cool spring. I would think you are about the same as us in Sask. 2nd growth alphalpha and goldenrod are still to come. There is also a good amount of clover still flowering around here.They should still build up. If not combien them with another hive about the middle of Sept.

[ManitobaBeekeeper]

Thanks much everybody! haven't had any time to check the forum lately, but I appreciate all the info -- its a great help! thanks again :)

Jeffrey