# First swarm collection in the morning.



## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

Good luck! If they are there at dark they will be there in the morning. I'd still have gone and gotten them as long as there was light though. Shake them into whatever you plan on having them in and move them. If you have a frame of open brood you can spare or drawn comb it will help. Catching swarms is fun. Go as early as you can see, the bees will be cool and less likely to fly, you can probably get darn near every one into the box with a quick shake.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

Keep in mind that bees create their own heat. Closing off the hive with no ventillation is never a good idea. Instead, screen off the larger opening of the entrance reducer and add a screen to the hole in the inner cover. Just make sure if there is a notch in the inner cover that it is upwards. Place a ratchet strap around the hive and you are good to go.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Thanks for info. I have some screen and duct tape to hold it on with me also. I figured with it being cool out this morning and a short drive they would be OK. Better safe then sorry. On my way out the door now.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I got the bees and they are now at my yard. The swarm was bigger then I expected. They had landed on a small peach tree that was only about 8 foot tall. the branch they were on was 1/2"-3/4 inch thick. The weight of the bees had broken the branch. I ended up setting up an 8 frame deep with 2 drawn frames and the rest rite cell. Then I set and empty deep box on top of that. The cluster of bees was about as big around as a two liter bottle, and it was about 2 foot long. I shook them into the empty deep on top of the frames of the bottom deep. I put a piece of screen over my inner cover and strapped that on the top to transport them. I had the entrance completely blocked.

Once I got them to the yard I put a reducer on with about a 2 inch opening. Most of the bees were still in the top box with a large cluster on the inner cover. I only saw a hand full of bees leave the hive after about 10 minutes. Those were doing orientation flights. I left the empty box on and will check them this evening to see if they have moved down in the bottom box. I plan on removing the top empty box as soon as I can. The beek I got them from estimated the swarm was at least 3 pounds maybe more. I took a quick video with my phone I'll try to get that loaded soon. It was cool this morning and the bees were hardly moving when I got there. This one could not have been any easier.

My next question. I plan on feeding these bees to try to get them built up for the winter. What is a good ratio of sugar syrup to feed them right now to help them draw comb and start making stores?


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Hopefully this works. For some reason whenever I upload video from my phone to the internet the quality drops. Not sure if it is something I do or just the way it is. Anyway you get the point, my friend hopped right in there and started cutting branches.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

That's a real good sized swarm! Make sure you keep foundation in front of them because I bet they draw out those combs quick. I caught a swarm I guessed around 5 pounds and had a 10-frame deep darn near full in a week. You'll want to harness that comb building impulse as best you can!


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Don't be surprised if they start drawing comb off your inner cover over the top empty box!


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I went back this evening hoping they had settled in. I started to lift the inner cover and I could feel by the weight a lot of the bees were still on there. I went ahead and removed the screen I had over the opening and put a top feeder on. I am going to be away starting this coming Saturday I will be gone for a week. Since none else in my family will check them while I'm gone would it be a better idea to go ahead and throw some frames in the empty deep? My initial plan was to get them to one deep for a while. I didn't realize they could draw out frames that quickly. There was a lot of bees out flying around this evening. In and out and what looked like some orientation.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Congratulations on the swarm catch! I'd put frames in the second deep IF you can fit them in. I'll bet there's comb on the inner cover and you may not be able to put frames in, depending on which direction the comb runs. If you can only put in two or three on the sides, I'd probably try to put them in. You may end up with a cross comb mess though. You may have to cut the comb later and rubber band it into frames. It's amazing how much comb they can build in 24 hours! Good luck and keep us informed.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Ill get over some time tomorrow and try to add some frames. Ill let you know how it goes.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Swarms always start at the top, they won't move down....


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Thanks, I'm putting frames in this afternoon.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

flyin-lowe said:


> Thanks, I'm putting frames in this afternoon.


You'll probably have a bit of a mess on your hands, unfortunately.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I am not sure if it is a good sign or a bad sign but there was not much of a mess. There were some bees on the "walls" of the empty deep and a majority of the bees appeared to be in the bottom box. I didn't pull frames I just left them alone. I put 1 frame of fully drawn comb in the top, 1 foundationless frame with a starter strip and the remaining 6 were rite cell. There was only one piece of comb about the size of a ping pong ball on the bottom of the inner cover.

I took my feeder off because the top cover must not have been sitting on it correctly. There were 100 bees or so inside the feeder (fat bee man style). Only a few had drowned but I didn't want to have a bunch of robbing going on. Plus like I mentioned I am going to be out of town next week and I didn't want to leave the feed on there that long without being able to monitor it. A local beek I spoke with who captures a lot of swarms says that when he gets one this late in the year he gives them two deep boxes and lets them go until spring. He said this late in the year there is not a lot you can do for them so he doesn't disturb them. I am going to check them when I get back in a week or so and see if the queen is laying.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

FYI, I picked up a swarm about 4lbs. and put them into a double 5 frame nuc. I get them home, set them up and put another 5 frame nuc on. Two weeks later they filled those three nucs up and now are 5 nucs tall. Three weeks from date of capture, ALL the frames except the last nuc is FULL of brood, stores, and bees. I added a sixth today for more honey stores. 
The nuc is going gangbusters!
The cutout I did from the same bees (the day after I got the swarm) are barely filling out 3 frames of a ten frame medium. Both bees were hived on drawn frames.
Swarms don't mess around.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

That's good to know. I don't know enough about the local plants available to know what kind of a flow we have right now, if any. I know I still see a lot of clover right now and the small patch in my backyard has bees on it still. I'm really hoping these bees take off good.
The guy that I got the swarm from said the hive originally started off as pure Russian carnies. However that was over 5 years ago so I would think buy now they are mixed with whatever.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Good they moved down, never seen them do that, typically I find they like to stay clustered if they can which means attaching themselves to the high point in the box and hanging off it.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

That's exactly how they were the evening I caught them. Yesterday when I added the frames and removed the feeder there was a lot of activity at the entrance (its open about 2 inches). I didn't really notice any fighting but not sure exactly what to look for with robbing. I did see what looked like a lot of orientation flying. I'm looking forward to checking on them when I get back in town next week. Hoping for some larvae/brood in some of the full drawn frames I put in there. 
I was trying so hard all spring to trap a swarm that once I finally got this one I was almost as excited as I was last year when I got my first package!


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I got back in town yesterday and checked this hive. Things looked really good (in my rookie opinion). In the top middle I had put a foundationless frame with starter strip between two drawn frames. The FL frame was fully drawn all the way to the bottom. One of the drawn frames was very heavy and packed with store. I pulled the middle frame from the bottom box and it was covered in capped brood and I could see the one side of the frame next to it was covered also. I closed it back up once I knew the queen was laying.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

Well the guy who gave me the last swarm called me this morning and told me he had another swarm about 2 feet away from were the first swarm was located. It was not quite as large but almost as large as the first swarm. When he first called I was thinking it was a secondary swarm and might be pretty small. It was probably close to 3 lbs. I set up a hive underneath them, shook the branch and 85-90% fell right in. The rest were in front and some where fanning and the others were marching in. These bees seemed a little more aggressive then the first swarm. After I shook them into the box there was a small cluster still on the branch that I scooped into the box. I had 4-5 stingers in my gloves from those. About 5 minutes later I used a bee brush to brush a few more down and several of those started stinging as well. 1 of the stingers penetrated the glove but did not break the skin, I could feel it though.


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## jwcarlson (Feb 14, 2014)

I caught two (after) swarms on the same fence post last year. Nicely done on the collection!

Not sure if you guys are experiencing the same extended flow that we are here. I think people get a little bit used to being able to minimize management this time of year, but the way the flow has been, they might pay for it in swarming. I have colonies putting down snow white wax on new plastic foundation and broodnests expanding still or holding steady at the very least. Golden rod is starting to yellow up at the tips! We might not have a dearth until it's all over with... hopefully. 

And got some rain today and spotty rain after the next few days. Alfalfa heads opening back up at a few of my yards. I'm a happy camper.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

The last swarm was my first ever and the really started drawing good. Hope this one does the same. I really need to get with someone from Indiana and study the flow's. Being a newbie I don't know much about that side of beekeeping. I was wanting to harvest a few frames from my original hive, but I am not sure what to expect as far as how fast and how much they will build up between now and winter. I don't want to leave the short.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Nice looking second swarm! Congratulations again.
I checked a few hives this morning and have to agree with jwcarlson, there doesn't seem to be much of a dearth so far, considering the dry, hot weather we've been having here, and the high heat index. Several of this year's swarms have filled two 8 frame deeps with drawn comb started on starter strips or foundation less frames. A few are in two deeps and a medium and all seem to be still going. I'm going to have to extract some mediums to put on those swarms so they have a place to grow into!


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

I drove by the hive on my way out of town today. Lots of bearding and quite a few bees clustered on the landing board. Hopefully it is just the heat and they will move back in once it cools. Heat index was over 100 today with high humidity.


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## flyin-lowe (May 15, 2014)

GaryG74 said:


> Nice looking second swarm! Congratulations again.
> I checked a few hives this morning and have to agree with jwcarlson, there doesn't seem to be much of a dearth so far, considering the dry, hot weather we've been having here, and the high heat index. Several of this year's swarms have filled two 8 frame deeps with drawn comb started on starter strips or foundation less frames. A few are in two deeps and a medium and all seem to be still going. I'm going to have to extract some mediums to put on those swarms so they have a place to grow into!


We've had record rainfall this year. I just spoke with one local beek who has over 100 hives, he said the spring and early summer honey amounts were down over 25% compared to his normal harvest. I was wanting to harvest from my original hive but I want to make sure they can build back up before winter.

I just checked on the hive right at dark and there was just a small handful of bees on the landing board. I am assuming the rest moved back into the hive. I am going to cut some notches in some inner covers I have and swap them out tomorrow so there is a little more ventilation. I am guessing they could use it since I only have the hive opened about an inch and a half.


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