[Djmny]

Trapped and hived my first swarm yesterday. Is it common practice to feed them for a while? They are in one medium with six frames drawn already. Thank you, Jason

 

[kenargo]

Yes, you are much more likely to have the swarm remain and thrive if you feed them. Basically, treat them as you would a new package.

 

[tsmullins]

Trapped and hived my first swarm yesterday. Is it common practice to feed them for a while? They are in one medium with six frames drawn already. Thank you, Jason

Unless it is a late swarm, we typically feed swarms minimally. If we put them on drawn comb, I am less likely to feed them. YMMV.

Shane

 

[bbruff22]

There may be different schools of thought here, as in most beekeeping topics. I caught a swarm of my own bees on 6/8, and I was advised to feed them, so they could get some comb and stores built up for winter. I'm new and had no drawn comb though. They were starting from scratch. They've built out one deep and are starting on the second. They are taking darn near a quart a day of 1:1.

 

[JWChesnut]

I let them settle for several days before feeding.
They may abscond if fed. Feed them and they fill up and are ready to fly again.
The bees fill their crops before swarming, so have multiple days of food stored on their body, ready to begin nest building. There is no way they need food early in the nest establishment phase.

Before the nest is organized with guards at the entrance, feeding induces robbing. Folks see robbing and think the hive is busy.... not until too late, after the robbed swarm has died or absconded do they realize that the feeding induced a disaster.

Some folks mist bees with water to get them to settle. The ones that use light sugar syrup tend to have trouble with early abscond, acts likes feed.

Once settled and on new brood with forage and pollen coming in the hive, a hive scent and guards in place, then yes please feed them to build the brood. If scouts are still coming back to the cluster (even if in a box), avoid feeding.