# Bees swarmed and re-hived - should we feed?



## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

Yes feed them. If the original hives new queen doesn't return from mating flight or doesn't get properly mated you can recombine swarm back to original hive. If swarm doesn't look to be strong enough for winter you can combine it with the weakest of your two hives.


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## Cleo C. Hogan Jr (Feb 27, 2010)

No...Only feed bees if there is not sufficient natural source of pollen and nectar. Why turn them into welfare bees or induce robbing from every bee colony in the county? Check them periodically to see how they are building up.

As Bkwoodsbees said, if they do not build up sufficient for Winter, you can combine them back with the parent colony.


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## Tenbears (May 15, 2012)

It is difficult enough to give on the spot advice to someone from a different state within the U.S. A different country is a whole other thing. As a rule bees do not swarm unless there is a flow on. However Occasionally a severely overcrowded hive may swarm at the tail end of the flow. we see this in Pennsylvania USA in September. Bees that swarm then have only two ways to improve success of overwintering. Find an abandoned Hive with drawn comb so they can store everything they bring in. or get captured by an experienced Beekeeper who has the assets to give them a helping hand.
What I am saying, is it depends on how much of a flow you have in your location and how much time you have until the frost removes usable vegetation, the severity of ones winters also determines how well a late swarm will overwinter.

As a rule bees will not take feed if there is a flow going. If there is ample flow for them to build on neither will they as a rule rob other hives. bearing this in mind I would feed 1x1 syrup within the hive and watch the consumption if they need to draw comb. if you are able to provide drawn comb, then watch to see that the bees are filling space with nectar at a rate that will allow them to store enough to overwinter. if not feed 2x1 syrup until it gets too cold fro then to take it. 5 over 5 nucs with a 5 frame super of honey overwinter well here in Pa. Which I believe a portion of the Us shares similar winters

And. If I have not done so in an earlier post Welcome to our beesource community!


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## Bkwoodsbees (Feb 8, 2014)

I agree with Cleo. I see you are from UK and I have 0 knowledge of your local conditions. In my area currently very little if any nectar coming in. I do feed every swarm I catch, but I have 5 bee yards that are all at least 2 miles apart. I keep the hives close to equal in strength at each yard and not a lot of other bee keepers in my area. I place swarms in my Nuc yard. I don't have any robbing issues. I don't create dependant bees but create some very strong hives going into winter.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I would feed as well, unless you hived them on drawn comb sufficient store whatever winter provisions are needed in your area. Feeding 1:1 now is to assist them in drawing comb while conditions are still conducive to that. A swarm should be in high comb-drawing mode, but a boost of calories to get it done won't hurt.

I would, of course, protect it from the start with effective anti-robbing devices if they are the only (and maybe smaller) colony in your yard that's being fed. 

Once they have enough drawn comb for winter, I might stop until it was time to assess the hive weights, and then if they are deficient in stores, resume feeding 2:1 so they can pack it in the already drawn comb. I have found that waiting until later and expecting to both draw and fill combs is less satisfactory.

I am probably in a much colder climate than you, as I am in the northeast, north of New York City, about half-way up to Montreal. 

Enjambres


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