How do you stop a captured swarm from reswarming?

**Tommy Tip Top** · 06-07-2012, 11:01 AM

Last week I captured a swarm. Within the hour it had reswarmed. Is there anything I can do to stop this happening in the future. I have heard that some beekeepers 'lock' the bees in for a day. Would this work? Any advice appreciated.

**willyC** · 06-07-2012, 11:14 AM

I lock them in overnight, in a well ventilated NUC, screened bottom entrance (not screened bottom board), top screened ventilation holes. I give them a frame of honey and nectar which seems to anchor them. Some folks give a frame of brood. Of the 7 swarms caught this spring only one left, the only one I had not give a frame of food, oversight.

**okbees** · 06-07-2012, 11:59 AM

I am willyC, but we will put a 1:1 syrup feeder on top for them and 1/2 pollen patty inside on top of the frames. Then the next morning we open up the front and haven't lost a swarm doing this way. The only 2 swarms we lost were ones we didn't close up and started feeding immediately.

**FlowerPlanter** · 06-07-2012, 01:23 PM

Listed in order

The best thing to keep a swarm is open brood. I will bet it is >95% successful. I have used pieces of drone brood with success. If you have brood and eggs even better yet they can make a queen if they need one.

If you can position your box for the swarm to walk in on their own you will have better luck.

A drop of LGO might also help a bit.

Close them up for a short time could help(make sure they have air flow), no need to close them up when its dark they won’t leave at night.

If you can find the queen cage her might help.

If the hive is too hot they could leave

I had heard that a frame of food and they can refill and swarm again.

**squarepeg** · 06-07-2012, 04:23 PM

i had three out of three stay this year with a frame of mixed brood.

**KQ6AR** · 06-07-2012, 05:00 PM

All we do is give them a frame of brood to take care of. Works very well.

**willyC** · 06-07-2012, 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by FlowerPlanter

I had heard that a frame of food and they can refill and swarm again.

My experience is contrary to this, I have never had them leave a hive with a frame of honey and nectar, but thats just 10 swarms over two years.
The only one that left was not given a comb.

**psfred** · 06-08-2012, 01:18 PM

So far we are two for two on using a nucleus hive (not a cardboard nuc, a standard hive) with a full set of frames, including an old brood comb.

The bees jump right in, start fanning at once, and in one case even started ro orient on the hive as soon as we closed it up.

Old brood comb, a proper hive rather than a cardboard box, and a bit of swarm lure (LGO, gremanium, and lemon oil 10:2:1) and they will very likey stay put.

This year we have been having huge swarms (six to nine pounds of bees), so you might want to take a standard hive with you as well -- hard to get six pounds of bees into a nuc!

Still, once in a while you will get one that simply won't stay put, those hopefully will find a nice place in the wild and produce another swarm for you next year.

Peter

**Capricorn** · 06-09-2012, 01:22 AM

I've only collected a few swarms, but none have left. I gathered them in a cardboard box of some type, and when I wanted to move it I closed it off, vented, etc.. Then when I hived them, I did it just before dusk.. So far so good.. Seems easier though, when they swarm into your equipment

**brac** · 06-09-2012, 07:48 AM

I have read a study that showed swarm bees given any drawn comb do not draw as much comb as a swarm that has to build everything on their own. I give only foundation, and upon hiving them I put a queen excluder on the entrance, they are not leaving without the queen. Sometimes I cage the queen, then if I want a different queen it's very easy to do.