[yotebuster1200]

Today I caught my first swarm and to me it seems to be a very large one. We put them in two mediums but I wasn't sure if that was enough room and was thinking about adding a third. I am a new keeper this year so I have a lot of questions and really feel in the dark at times. Any help or tips would be appreciated. Sorry for the poor picture. Sometimes cell phones can only do so much haha... I hope you can get an idea as to how big it was.

Thanks Scott

 

[yotebuster1200]

Ok I have another question and will have to fill you guys in with a few more details. We habe two mediums with frames right now and an empty medium above this ones. We used the empty medium kind of as a funnel so we could pour the bees into the boxes. I took a peek inside and it looks like at least half the bees are clinging to one of the cornersame of the empty medium and also on the inner cover... what can I do to convince them to make their way down into the two lower boxes? I was thinking about moving them away from my other 2 hives and then opening the lid. Shaking the bees off the lid and empty box. I was thinking they would crawl down into the lower boxes so they could escape the light. I was also thinking I could put some screen over the empty box (to keep them from flying off) and then they might work down into the frames? Any ideas from the experts? Thanks in advance.

 

[yotebuster1200]

I am a little worried that if I used the screen over the empty box they would just cling onto the screen and continue to do what they are doing.

 

[yotebuster1200]

I also just peeked under the box and looked up between the frames (my box is on a expanded metal stand and I have a screened bottom board) and the frames in the bottom box are empty for the most part. So I think there is room for them to move down if I can convince them it is a good idea.

 

[yotebuster1200]

Is there any harm is just putting frames into the top box or would the bees do better if they were only in 2 mediums instead of 3?

 

[yotebuster1200]

Well I got suited up and brought a box full of frames which I was ready to throw into that top box. I got them one ed up and decided to just shake them into the bottom two boxes. They seem to be happy in their new double story medium hive. I'm glad I didn't wait because they were starting to draw comb in a Manu different types parts of the inner cover. Thanks to all who gave their advice... it sure makes jumping into this hobby a little less unnerving when you can get on here and get advice from the pro's.

 

[yotebuster1200]

Wow looks like a mess. I am glad I got in there, got the down into the two boxes and pulled the empty. I can tell that I am going to sleep better not worrying about whether or not they were going to move down on their own. I know if they are going to draw comb now they will have to do it between the frames.