We brought a swarm home yesterday and put them in a Top bar hive. This morning I shined a light up in the bottom and they were balled up at the entrance on the inside of the hive. Now this evening they are covering the outside of the front of the hive and around the ends at the entrance end of the hive. We put a queen includer over the holes so I am certain that the queen is in the hive. I am hoping they go back in on their own. We have had freshly hived swarms leave us, but this is our first experience with a queen includer. Should we do some thing?
Swarm moved to outside hive!
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Wait.
I was also wondering if they are in sun or shade, and if there may be any odd scents inside the hive. Lemon grass oil may help.
They are in late afternoon shade. It is 93º right now. I did put lemon grass oil in it several weeks ago. The hive has two bars with about 1.5" of good straight comb attached that has been cut off that I hope will get them started straight. I have a follower board giving slightly less than one half the hive. The bees have not moved.
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FEED THEM inside the hive
(groove out a couple of top bars and use a baggie feeder)
Does your TBH have a screened bottom board? If yes, shut it to stop the light.
Your swarm doesn't think that your top bar hive is a suitable cavity and they are scouting for a new home. excluding the queen/"inculding" the queen is cruel. Make the hive a suitable place. Don't let the bees scout a new home and not be able to bring their queen. They don't understand the queen excluder. They will try to alight and she will not follow due the the excluder (maybe). Flying swarm queens can be small enough to get through excluders.
Better to try to make your TBH attractive than to try to force bees to stay in a place they don't like.
-Erin
(groove out a couple of top bars and use a baggie feeder)
Does your TBH have a screened bottom board? If yes, shut it to stop the light.
Your swarm doesn't think that your top bar hive is a suitable cavity and they are scouting for a new home. excluding the queen/"inculding" the queen is cruel. Make the hive a suitable place. Don't let the bees scout a new home and not be able to bring their queen. They don't understand the queen excluder. They will try to alight and she will not follow due the the excluder (maybe). Flying swarm queens can be small enough to get through excluders.
Better to try to make your TBH attractive than to try to force bees to stay in a place they don't like.
-Erin
Yesterday morning I put the bottom board on before leaving for work. Last night there were not near as many bees on the outside of the hive, so I did not open it up because of bees still hanging on the lid. Tonight they have all gone in with bees coming and going normally. Thanks for your suggestions and kindness.
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Very glad to hear it!
Now feed them. 1-1 so they can draw comb.
feed via baggie feeder on top of the bars, just take a couple out and sand them down to make a way for the bees to get up to the baggie.
I will post a picture in the photo forum.
Bee havers make their bees work for every last carbohydrate > cell of wax comb > place to put food or babies.
Beekeepers know when to help their bees and when their bees don't need help.
Swarms building nests need help.
-E.
Now feed them. 1-1 so they can draw comb.
feed via baggie feeder on top of the bars, just take a couple out and sand them down to make a way for the bees to get up to the baggie.
I will post a picture in the photo forum.
Bee havers make their bees work for every last carbohydrate > cell of wax comb > place to put food or babies.
Beekeepers know when to help their bees and when their bees don't need help.
Swarms building nests need help.
-E.
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211 Posts
Beetree, I'll pass along the same advice I was given when I first put a swarm in my TBH: Don't open the hive until the bees are bringing in pollen.
If you're going to feed by using a baggy on top of the bars, that's fine. Just try to avoid doing any inspections until you see pollen. For me, it was about four days, but I waited a week to inspect. By that time, there was comb on the 10 bars I started them with.
Keep us posted.
If you're going to feed by using a baggy on top of the bars, that's fine. Just try to avoid doing any inspections until you see pollen. For me, it was about four days, but I waited a week to inspect. By that time, there was comb on the 10 bars I started them with.
Keep us posted.
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