# No flying foragers after first time split



## Chemguy (Nov 26, 2012)

I had a small swarm that got robbed out a few weeks ago. I added two frames of emerging brood from a strong hive after shaking the bees off, and now after 2 weeks have a growing stream of foragers. Time takes time.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

It's too soon to be worried about that. As long as your queen starts laying and they don't run short of stores or get robbed they will most likely be fine. Soon it will look like a working hive.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

If you left the split in the same yard all the field bees returned to the original location.


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## orthoman (Feb 23, 2013)

I did leave it in the same yard -- and knew that if there were any foragers, they would probably fly back to theiir hive. I reading the Bush book, I was under the impression that just placing some branches over the front of the hive would be enough to make they take a second look and re-orient to their location but maybe I need to still move them a little further away. 

I was also kind of assuming almost all of the bees on the frames and that I shook would be house bees/nurse bees and would never have had an occaision to be out of the hive. That being said, I also assumed they would be pressed into doing other functions out of necessity -- I am new at this so trying to figure it out.

Thanks for your suggestions. Keep them coming.


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## tsmullins (Feb 17, 2011)

orthoman said:


> Should I take some action or sit back and bee patient?


This is probably not a time for patience. If it were me, I would open the hive up and see how many bees you have left. If you do not have enough bees to cover your brood, the brood will die. Pests, such as SHB, will enter the hive, and what is left could collapse and give SHB a foothold in your apiary. 

Shane


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