Swarm caught and swarmed again. 2 Y BK needs help.

1563 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by warpork, May 2, 2014

Bird Dog One

Discussion Starter · Apr 29, 2014

Hello,
I caught the swarm from one of my hives and put them in a ten frame medium with undrawn wax comb. They stayed there for four days and swarmed again. I have caught them again (2days ago) and put them back in box and added sugar water with Honey Bee Healthy. When I looked in the box yesterday they were all balled up on the inner cover. They have not done anything as far as building up frame or bringing in any stores. I have no drawn comb to put in the box, but I do have some brood frames I could pull from other hives. This is my second year of bee keeping and my first caught swarm. It will be cold and rainy for the next two days here and it will be then before I can do anything with them. Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

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FlowerPlanter

· #2 · Apr 29, 2014

>I do have some brood frames I could pull from other hives.
This will 99% of the time lock them in, must be some open brood. It does not have to be a full frame even 1/2 or a 1/4 on side of a frame will work. I have also used drone brood pieces in a pinch.

If they are balled they are just waiting to leave.

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CessnaGirl

· #3 · Apr 29, 2014

Yes, open brood. And if you have one, put a queen excluder (used as an "includer") between the hive body and bottom board for a week but no longer than 10 days (drones can't get in or out either!). I've never had an absconding since using these tricks, knock on wood.

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Bird Dog One

Discussion Starter · #4 · May 1, 2014

Thank you will try today.

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Bird Dog One

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 1, 2014

Thank you CessnaGirl.
I am going to put the open brood in today.

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warpork

· #6 · May 2, 2014

Just caught a swarm of mine today, swarmed again 15 minutes later, so added some uncapped eggs...problem solved, they're all over the frame now.

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