# Late Swarm



## Agis Apiaries (Jul 22, 2014)

LEAD PIPE said:


> I didn't go into the frames.
> 
> Any advice?


Yes, go into the frames. You need to know if they are robbing or if there is really a new colony in there. Are they there at night, or just during the daytime? Find out if you really have a colony in there before wasting a lot of time trying to feed robbers!


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## LEAD PIPE (May 22, 2005)

I watched it for for 10 min and didn't see any bees going in with pollen, now i'm leaning toward robbing, so bummed. I will close the hive tonight and see which side of the hive the bees are in the morning. If they are on the inside I will keep feeding and check the frames in a few days. One positive sign, I have bees taking water from a spot 30 yards away from the hive they came with the bees Thanks


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## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

I wouldn't go into the frames yet, if it is swarm you could spook them. If you feed them and they are robbers, no harm done, either way you are helping bees and next year you will catch a swarm. keep watching the, if they start bringing in pollen, you go in and look. You most likely will put them in a smaller hive, don't need much room to over winter. Karma. ..JMO......Sam


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## WillH (Jun 25, 2010)

It is unlikely that you will see a swarm in Connecticut in October. More likely those bees could be absconding their old location due to mites. If that is the case, they will have a lot of mites with them.


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## jcolon (Sep 12, 2014)

is a guessing game. Inspect. that's the only way to know.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Agree with jcolon, until you go in everything is speculation. After four days, a swarm will be committed to staying. They should have built some comb by now, and the queen should have laid some eggs in that comb.


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## jhs494 (May 6, 2009)

A little smoke at the entrance might give you some indication. Robbers, in my experience act way different than bees that have taken up home. I see robbers scatter with just a little smoke. They stay close but exit quickly. 
This is just a suggestion, I'm sure others will chime in with ideas.


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## whiskers (Aug 28, 2011)

Was there anything in those boxes to make them attractive to robbers?
Bill


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