# Got a swarm today! How long should the queen stay caged???



## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

I have never done that with a swarm. 
Did you catch the swarm or did they come to the trap on their own?

Alex


----------



## NWPAbeekeep (Mar 9, 2021)

@AHudd they went to the trap on top of the shed from one of our hives. there were a bunch nestled in there last night, left them alone then, but when they swarmed up there this morning i figured it was time to act. bird in the hand vs two in the bush...


----------



## Hobo (Mar 4, 2014)

I don't do that either. I place a frame or two of comb in my swarm box when I set it up. Old, dark comb has a smell that is attractive to the bees. The second frame of comb may be old comb or new comb or it may be partially-drawn comb. The comb gives the queen a place to start laying eggs immediately instead of waiting for the bees to drawn new comb. Once there is brood (eggs) in the box the bees are not likely to leave.


----------



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

I've never cadged the queen of a swarm.
I presume you did it to keep them there.
so a guess to toss on the stack of answers is 48 hours, similar to a queen release, but here the bees know it is their queen.

a bunch plus some swarmed up , could be 2 queens, so beware not all things bees are what we expect.

GG


----------



## NWPAbeekeep (Mar 9, 2021)

last time we caught a swarm at the trap and dumped them in they all absconded within a few hours. i did this to prevent a similar outcome...thought it was normal practice, guess not.

thanks all, i'll keep an eye on it. let them settle in for a day or two before releasing it.


----------



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

NWPAbeekeep said:


> last time we caught a swarm at the trap and dumped them in they all absconded within a few hours. i did this to prevent a similar outcome...thought it was normal practice, guess not.
> 
> thanks all, i'll keep an eye on it. let them settle in for a day or two before releasing it.


if you have other bees, another way to "ground" then is to add a frame of brood, some open.
the bees seem reluctant to leave "the babies behind" some harness of maternal instinct.

good luck and a good reason.

I use a deep as a swarm trap with frames so they stay as is for a few weeks then i look at the laying pattern and the mean-nees of them, re queen the ones I want to.


GG


----------



## NWPAbeekeep (Mar 9, 2021)

Alright, good to know. Thanks everyone 👍

One more question if anyone has the answer: When should I stack another brood box on top?


----------



## AHudd (Mar 5, 2015)

NWPAbeekeep said:


> last time we caught a swarm at the trap and dumped them in they all absconded within a few hours. i did this to prevent a similar outcome...thought it was normal practice, guess not.
> 
> thanks all, i'll keep an eye on it. let them settle in for a day or two before releasing it.


When a swarm shows up at a trap I didn't think there would be any dumping as they have made the decision to be there, but as I have never trapped a swarm there may be something I am not understanding. 

I have caught many swarms and hived them successfully. By that, I mean I have taken swarms that landed on a tree branch or some other such thing and then dumped, shaken or otherwise put them in a hive, but hey, the important thing is you got 'em. 👍
I have heard of people putting a QE between the bottom board and the brood box for a couple of days, though. That way if it is the prime swarm she can get right to work. I did do that to a hive that had a bunch of Queens emerging while I was inspecting. I was tearing out QCs and I kept finding ones that had emerged. After I finished I put the whole thing back together with the QE on top of the BB. This colony was pretty swarmy, so I thought this way the virgins will have to fight it out instead of casting after swarms. 

Alex


----------



## NWPAbeekeep (Mar 9, 2021)

@AHudd excellent insight, thank you. new to this just this year so at times i can get right lost


----------



## Gray Goose (Sep 4, 2018)

NWPAbeekeep said:


> Alright, good to know. Thanks everyone 👍
> 
> One more question if anyone has the answer: When should I stack another brood box on top?


it depends
comb or foundation
generally at 7 to 8 frames occupied, certianly by 9 you would add.
keep in mind here the first bee will hatch in 21 days, so if they fit now you have 3 weeks from swarm land date, till you need to worry, then they will need the space.

GG


----------

