# Recapture a swarm off of my hive...



## ShannonS (Sep 9, 2014)

Question, I've got a hive that swarmed late this year, about a month ago. My wife's parents lives across the farm from us and she called me one day last week and said she had something to show me. I went over and the swarm off of my hive was holed up in an old pine tree in her yard. I'm 99% sure they are mine, it was mixed with Italians and Carniolans. I know that putting a frame of open brood "might" draw her out and pull her in the hive but I'm not willing to give up a whole frame of brood in "hopes" of getting them. If I can rehive them then I'll set them back up with honey and brood so they can winter. My thought is use bee gone to run them out but my question is is what's the chances they will come out and go into the hive I set right in front of bees?

Thanks folks


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

Make a cone that goes thru the Nuc. PM Cleo Hogan, his trap out directions will give you the directions and he's always happy to help with instructing.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

You might have better success waiting until spring. Let them establish in the tree, then trap them out in spring during spring buildup before they swarm. Or, just leave them and set up swarm traps in the area.


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

I would leave them until Spring. Even in Georgia there isn't much time left for them to clean a new hive, settle in, the queen start laying, and prepare for Winter.

Over the Winter, I would set the harvester up. Next Spring take 2 to 4 starts from the tree. Let the tree act as a cash cow. 

If you want the genetics you can either take the queen when she comes into the trap, (let the parent colony make a new queen), OR, let her come into the trap and lay some eggs, then move those in the trap away and let them make a queen from her eggs. OR, you can purchase a queen and put with the bees you catch, when you get 3 to 6 pounds of bees.

By using this technique you will not harm the parent colony, and the bees you catch are the right mix for a new colony. Next year, and the year after, do it all over again.

cchoganjr


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## ShannonS (Sep 9, 2014)

10-4, I'll leave them until next year and if they make it I'll just get swarms off of it. Thanks Cleo


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