They'll figure it out, their days are numbered anyway.
Left Behind Bees
I had a very strong hive in a bad location. Two days ago I went to move it about fifty feet. When I got there it was in the process of swarming. Very impressive, I’d never seen that before.
The swarm formed up on the ground near by and I was able to scoop them up and put them into a 10 frame deep. I put a queen includer on the entrance and gave them a quart of syrup.
I went ahead and moved the original hive fifty feet and put brush in front of it. I then put an empty nuc box back at the original location.
It looks like I got the queen with the swarm as bees are coming and going to that box.
The hive I moved seems to have accepted the move and they are coming and going as they should.
Now I’ve got a bunch of bees that didn’t get moved or go with the swarm in the nuc box. What the heck do I do with them? They have no queen or supplies to make one. I’d like to have them rejoin the old hive or the swarm.
The swarm formed up on the ground near by and I was able to scoop them up and put them into a 10 frame deep. I put a queen includer on the entrance and gave them a quart of syrup.
I went ahead and moved the original hive fifty feet and put brush in front of it. I then put an empty nuc box back at the original location.
It looks like I got the queen with the swarm as bees are coming and going to that box.
The hive I moved seems to have accepted the move and they are coming and going as they should.
Now I’ve got a bunch of bees that didn’t get moved or go with the swarm in the nuc box. What the heck do I do with them? They have no queen or supplies to make one. I’d like to have them rejoin the old hive or the swarm.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Shake them out in front of one of the hives and take away the box. Done your part.
The mistake was putting a box there for them. best to leave nothing at all they could cluster on, they then fly in wide circles and eventually find their hive if the move has only been 50 feet.
My suggestion would be shake them at the front door of the parent hive at dusk. Some will return to the old site next day but don't leave anything there for them, you may end up losing a few.
My suggestion would be shake them at the front door of the parent hive at dusk. Some will return to the old site next day but don't leave anything there for them, you may end up losing a few.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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