View Full Version : split swarm
celticsur
06-01-2008, 05:10 PM
Hello ,I am new so I guss you can tell. I caught a swarm two weeks ago and I tried to move it 2 nights ago about 500 feet. Well about half came back so I put another hive there and they are in it, still alot of bees in the hive I moved my question is do I buy a queen for the ones that came back and do I feed them. thank you celticsur
riverrat
06-01-2008, 05:31 PM
they will have to have queen to survive. Question is how many bees went back to the old location and 2nd are there enough there to survive
celticsur
06-01-2008, 05:43 PM
Thank you for getting to me, The ones that came back are around 2 pounds. The ones that stayed looks like maybe a pound. I am not sure if they even have a queen. Would it be a mistake to put a queen in each
celticsur
Michael Bush
06-01-2008, 05:50 PM
Why not just move the queenless bees to the new hive?
celticsur
06-01-2008, 06:00 PM
Thank you
It is the new hive that does not have a queen. See I was stupid I thought I could move them at night I caught them right at the house I swep them in the hive but did not getall them after a couple they all came to the hive I left the hive there for 2 weeks then tried to move them 3 nights ago. the next day about 2 pounds came back another 2-3 pounds stayed in the hive I moved where the queen is. I am I arizona
thank you for the help celticsur
Do you have another hive? If so, you can take a frame of brood with eggs in the one you know is queenless or put a frame in both parts of the swarm. The one (or perhaps both) which needs to raise a queen will do so. If you do not have a frame (or two) see if you can find a local beekeeper who might be able to help you out by providing what you need.
Just take the box to the new location and shake them into the hive. Then, put a branch in front of the hive entrance and don't put a box at the old location.