First topbar hive.
Installed a small swarm about 2 weeks ago.
did not think they would make it due to size.
They did not, a few were alive but other than some comb building most were deceased.
On Friday (2 days ago) I installed a much larger swarm (perhaps the size of two packages)
Most but not all went into the hive from dumping them in out of my "swarm carrier"
I id not physically see the queen but they exhibited queen present behavior when I captured the swarm on Friday morning
yesterday about 1/3 of the bees were huddled around the outside entrance. (note: there is a inside feeder that they have been making use of)
I suited up and swept them into a dust pan and re-installed inside the hive.
Today nearly half of the new swarm is outside on that end. Its like a swarm activity. They are also fairly aggressive (like there is no queen) and a large amount are flying too and fro.
Due to the activity and no comb in frames I cannot find the queen, and being a topbar hive i cannot put existing comb/frames in the hive.
Should I
a. not worry about it - they will figure it out.
b. plan on them leaving?
c. Put a swarm lure inside the topbar hive?
d. order a queen. and run the risk of the hive leaving before she gets here or having a turf battle between two queens.
Installed a small swarm about 2 weeks ago.
did not think they would make it due to size.
They did not, a few were alive but other than some comb building most were deceased.
On Friday (2 days ago) I installed a much larger swarm (perhaps the size of two packages)
Most but not all went into the hive from dumping them in out of my "swarm carrier"
I id not physically see the queen but they exhibited queen present behavior when I captured the swarm on Friday morning
yesterday about 1/3 of the bees were huddled around the outside entrance. (note: there is a inside feeder that they have been making use of)
I suited up and swept them into a dust pan and re-installed inside the hive.
Today nearly half of the new swarm is outside on that end. Its like a swarm activity. They are also fairly aggressive (like there is no queen) and a large amount are flying too and fro.
Due to the activity and no comb in frames I cannot find the queen, and being a topbar hive i cannot put existing comb/frames in the hive.
Should I
a. not worry about it - they will figure it out.
b. plan on them leaving?
c. Put a swarm lure inside the topbar hive?
d. order a queen. and run the risk of the hive leaving before she gets here or having a turf battle between two queens.