# Captured first spawn



## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Caught my first spawn in my back yard. Was talking to my mentor on phone and next thing I knew it looked like the air turned black and then they coalesced on a branch of a crabapple near my chickens. Ran to his house and grabbed a nuc and 5 frames and came back they were still in tree I was able to get about 4 pounds of bees and I think I got the queen because they all stayed in the nuc.


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Went out to tree and saw a small apricot bunch of bees balled up, queen or just trying to keep warm for the night? Bees are still in nuc. Should I mess with it or allow them to find nuc which is about 15' away?


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

Most likely stragglers who haven't found the rest of the colony that you hived. If the queen were there, the other bees would be trying to find her. Would not likely stay in your nuc. Chances are the small ball will find your nuc, and the rest of the swarm.

It won't hurt anything to catch that small ball and dump on landing board if you want to fool with it. Otherwise, they will find the rest of them.

cchoganjr


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Thanks Cleo. I left them alone and they all seemed to have found the nuc.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

Spawn? Do you mean swarm perhaps?


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Early morning post, yes I meant swarm, lol. Wind came up yesterday and blew top off of nuc, went out and checked , no bees. Found them in a fenceline of vines. At 10 pm last night I cut all the vines out below them to allow me to insert a nuc under them and captured them all again. Put them in a 10 frame deep with 3 built up combs and 7 new frames. If they swarm again they can go. I know from my time spent with them they are not from my hives. I have carnolians and these are lighter in color, perhaps itailian or a hybrid. After the way they have acted you could say spawn ;-). Great time figuring out how to catch them not once but twice.


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## sqkcrk (Dec 10, 2005)

I have "captured" swarms a number of times. After a while I just give up.


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

If you have a swarm that leaves, catch them again, and leave them in your box for at least 24 to 30 hours, then release them at dark. Make sure they have ventilation, but leave them pinned up. By this time they will already start working in the box and won't leave.

cchoganjr


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## sasquatch (Mar 13, 2010)

Sticky ear,keep going after them there worth the effort,hope you can get them to stay put.sometimes they're gona turn Rabbit on you,and run,keep after them,wish I was there to see it.:lpf::lpf::lpf::lpf:


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## Sticky Bear (Mar 15, 2012)

Guess I missed the Queen last night they are all gone but it's not a great loss, the 6 hives I have are doing well and nothing seems amiss.


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