[Rosieriveter]

So I caught my first swarm, not very big, about the size of a football. I put them in a 9 frame deep box with mostly drawn comb & am feeding them sugar water. Today I checked on them, it's their third day in the hive & I can see liquid in some cells. Is it honey, it's dark. Can't seem to locate the queen. When should I begin to see eggs & brood? Should I give them a frame of brood from one of my other hives? It was a big job for me to get them & got stung in the face through my veil & have swollen up to obscene proportions, so I really want these guys to make it!

 

[Konrad]

You can check in another week for eggs, but don't worry for about 3 or 4 weeks, you might have a virgin queen.

 

[timgoodin]

Not sure what your flow situation looks like in your part of the world but we have been in a dearth here for a couple weeks. My recommendation would be to feed, feed, feed to get them settled in before winter.

I would not hurt to give them a frame of eggs and brood from one of your better hives, if there is no queen they will make one. If there is a young virgin or recently mated queen it may take her a couple of weeks to kick in but the addition of brood will help start the population increase and buildup of the swarm. I certainly will not hurt. I always give a swarm a frame of brood to help anchor them in their new home. They rarely will abandon brood unless they are overrun with small hive beetles or some other problem. Good luck and remember this late in the season, feed, feed, feed.

Tim

 

[Tom Fran]

How did you get stung in the face with your veil on? Did they crawl in through the bottom?

I hope your hive makes it OK.

 

[NasalSponge]

Just something to consider....I always throw swarms on foundation because they are the best for drawing it out. They are all geared up to make comb so I let them.