[oregonsparkie]

I got a call for a swarm hanging on a tree limb(thursday). The swarm has been there almost a week.
I went out and shook them into a box.Everything went good. I took them to where my hive was sitting and put them into the hive. I was short on time so I went back out to give them some syrup on fiday afternoon. When I got there they were on a nearby tree again. I shook them into a box and put them back into the hive with some sugar syrup. I went back this morning and they were on the outside of the hive and the top cover.

My hive is a used box that I cleaned up and repainted inside(I know alittle unusual but I wanted to make sure any AFB spores was covered over) and outside of the box. I put in some used frames with plastic foundation that I scraped and cleaned up the best I could.

Is there anything else I could/should have done. I put them back inside the hive again and blocked the entrance so they had to stay there. I was thinking the paint may be bothering them but Ive done this to all the used hives boxes and no problem as yet.

 

[Michael Bush]

I've often had to put them in the box two or three times before they stay. But I've also never painted the inside of a box. Maybe they don't like the fumes from the paint? Do you have an unpainted box to put them in (the inside unpainted, I mean)?

 

[oregonsparkie]

Yea I have some new boxes that need to be put together, Ill paint the outside and stick new wax foundation/frames in too..

Have you ever tried to seal the inside of boxes to help keep the AFB spores to a minimum??

If so, what do you use??

 

[Michael Bush]

>Yea I have some new boxes that need to be put together, Ill paint the outside and stick new wax foundation/frames in too..

I wouldn't wait that long. Put them together and put the bees in them before they leave. You can paint the outside later.

>Have you ever tried to seal the inside of boxes to help keep the AFB spores to a minimum??

I have never painted, scorched or otherwise treated them. I have had used equipement. I have never had any AFB.

If I were going to do something, unless my state had some treatment available (which it does not) like irradiation or fumigation, I would do the traditional time proven thing. Scorch.

 

[Russ]

If ;you have it youi lmight try putting in a frame of Brood. I have heard that will help them stay.

 

[oregonsparkie]

Right now the hive has grass in the opening and sugar syrup on top - hopefully this will keep them there until they draw out some comb. I have a new(unpainted interior) hive body ready to swap out if they still refuse to go down inside the hive. I cant really spare any frames of brood. All my 9 hives have been started with swarms within the last month and are still pretty small.

 

[SilverFox]

Late reading as usual. Just saw your question, I put a screen in the entrance to keep a swarm in the hive for a few days, in the mean time I'll feed them with a 1gal baggie on top bars, cut a few small slits going across the bars. and they'll drink, and start new comb. MB was right tho about painting the inside of hive boxes. They may not like the smell, or fumes. Spray the inside w/the generic HBH if it happens again.

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'WHEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES WE ALL LOOK THE SAME' GWPW 03

 

[oregonsparkie]

Thanks everyone. They only left once and then they stayed(been about a week now) I built my own topfeeder based on my design(too much top space) and all they wanted to do was cluster and build comb on top cover.

I moved them into a new hive that wasnt painted on the inside and had new foundation and I left off the homebuilt feeder and used a 1 gallon feeder jar. After a couple days I checked and they were happily building comb. Took a gamble and opened up the hive after I put them back inside and they stayed there.

 

[SilverFox]

Once th queen starts laying they useually stay put. Only had 1 swarm I cought leave w/no trace. This year to date I've gotten 13 ferial colinies and or swarms. Just extracted #18 today, just got home took 4hrs. All went well.

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'WHEN WE CLOSE OUR EYES WE ALL LOOK THE SAME' GWPW 03

 

[oregonsparkie]

Sounds great silverfox,

I just got back from extracting another from a wall myself. Ran the bees through an excluder and seen the queen so I dumped them into the hive, removed the excluder and closed them up.
The other hive that left stayed put after I started feeding them. I have 1 gallon jars that has a nipple the extends through the top cover. Checked them the other day and they are drawing out the new foundation and all looks good.