[Johnnymms]

I plan on placing swarms traps for the first time this spring. Are there rules to follow when placing the swarms that you catch? I figured I could catch one on my property and just drop it into a hive body. Now I have read in a few places that you should move a swarm you capture at least a few miles away before you install in a hive body. Which is correct? Hopefully I read this info wrong as I would like to catch my own swarms if possible to place in a new hive on the same property. Maybe this is a bad idea? Thanks to anyone with some guidance!

 

[Happy Home]

Hi Johnnymms,

I caught two swarms last year, from what I believe to be the same feral hive. I did not have any, none, zero, nada, zilch, bee keeping experience, and still do not have much. I put the swarms in a plastic tote tub over night since it was evening when I caught the swarms, till I could run to our local lumber yard and purchase hives the next morning. I put the swarm in a hive body the next day and about 10 days later the feral hive issued a second swarm and I had the same experience all over again, including both nights being during a torrential downpour and the next day being sunny.

That is the story of me starting bee keeping in a nutshell, I still just have the two hives and they seem to be doing well. I have just pretty much let the bees do their thing I am going to test for mites, and I am not opposed to some of the natural treatments. but I have done nothing as yet.

I did set two single deep hive bodies out at my yard and hope to catch a swarm if possible. I am thinking that it may be from one of my hives. If it should happen that I get the opportunity to split my hives first to make increase then I hope to catch another feral swarm or someone else's swarm which I would just put in a hive body and leave in my yard and then keep an eye on them hopefully.

so long story about my experience so far, to answer your question I would not really fear putting a swarm in an existing yard if I was to catch one.

Happy Home.

 

[JConnolly]

If I catch a swarm from own apiary then I leave the bait hive or the hive I dropped them into right where it was until night fall and they've settled in. Then I move it into my apiary. Its a swarm, they'll reorient.

If I catch a swarm that I do not know the origin of with a swarm traps, then when possible I leave it and the swarm trap right where it was for a few days until I'm confident the swarm isn't packing pathogens before I move it to my apiary.

Swarm removal is a different story, I take them home and put them on the opposite side of my property for a few days, then move them into the apiary if they aren't packing pathogens.

IMO new beekeepers have entirely too much angst about moving a hive. If you have to move a hive then just move it after sundown, it doesn't matter the distance.