Foraging Hours?

Move them after dark. Smoke any that are hanging out outside, into the hive. Seal up the entrance, and make the move as gently as possible. How far are you moving them? I cut a 1x2 piece of poplar the exact size of the hive entrance, and put a couple screws in one side like handles. I can close up the hive like closing a drawer. Two little pieces of tape on each side for added security, and off I go. (think entrance reducer with no holes)

We're seeing them continue to go out until sunset. We see them coming back with pollen for maybe 15 minutes after that. A lot will have to do with sky conditions, temperature, and wind.

Will only be moving therm about 50 feet or so but this is out in the country so dark is really dark.

From what I read, I think you are going to have lot of lost bees if you move them 50 feet in one shot. I think you have to move them 4 or more miles or 3 feet or less. You should hear from someone with more experience soon.

"I'll be watching them to try to figure out about when they're through foraging for the day but wondered if there might be some rule of thumb when that normally happens."
In Austin this time of year when it is not raining and normal temperatures, all but a very few stragglers will be in by late dusk. Put a leafy branch in front of the entrance so that the bees will reorient ala Michael Bush, http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmoving.htm.

Thanks for the info.


Wayne

I too had this same question. Got a swarm trap that has a colony in it, guess it's a trip to the farm they are on after dark to seal off the entrance.

Do you hive them at night or wait until the next day?

"Do you hive them at night or wait until the next day?"
We generally set the swarm trap where we intend the new hive to be, then rehive whenever it's convenient in the next day or two. We have foundationless frames in the trap, so we do not have to hurry to rehive. Put a leafy branch in front of the entrance of both the trap when you move it and the new hive when you rehive the bees.

I leave them overnight if possible and pick them up to move them home in the early morning when it's coolest and they're more likely to be clustered and not too willing to fly. The last swarm I grabbed last week was placed about 15ft from where I hived it with no problems. Others have been harder to keep home than a teenager with a brand new drivers licence.