# Swarm very quiet and slow with a lot of dead?



## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

Ok, I know I am wearing this area out but I am kind of concerned. The second swarm was installed to a deep this morning after being over nighted in a bankers box last night. It got down to 41 last night but don't think that is a part of the problem. They act so much different than the first swarm. I pulled the reducer and they are piled up on the bottom of the frames as I can only see in the right 3 inches of the bottom of the box. There are a lot of (50 or so) bees that died on the concrete around the hive. They hit the ground and wonder around or flip over on their back. There are a lot of bees in the lower part of the hive that are not doing anything. I mean they are just sitting still as a rock. There are many of them out working hard so it is not the whole hive. What is going on? Normal for a swarm that was in the same place for about 10 days?


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## Dan P (Oct 29, 2014)

Did they get sprayed with something before you got them?


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## Riverderwent (May 23, 2013)

Joebrad said:


> What is going on? Normal for a swarm that was in the same place for about 10 days?


They are starving. I would feed them as quickly as possible.


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## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

They were not sprayed and had started a couple of palm sized comb on the branches were they were. The owner at the house said they had been there since around Easter. The starving part may be the problem. I have some 1 to 1 mixed up and just outside of the feeder since I don't have another feeder. If they are starving, what is the best feeding method in this scenario?
Thanks,


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

Is there a bakery near you that might sell you some fondant? If you can't find winter patty (which I realize might be hard in TX at this season) something like fondant would work, You could strap part of a slab to a frame you could stick it in the hive. You can also make a candy board, or fondant at home.

It might be even easier to improvise an internal jar feeder with tiny holes in the lid, inverted and set directly on the bars near the bees. (Test this first to make sure it doesn't leak.) To make this work you need to set another box on top of the one the bees are in, with lid on top of that. If it is chilly I might also fill part of this second box with solid material to make space smaller. For starvation emergencies, I would mix it stronger than 1:1. I think if they are hungry they will take it avidly as long as the syrup is warm enough. Start with a modest quantity and check in a couple of hours.

Good luck! 

ETA: Although I've never used one, a baggie feeder with 2:1 might also work. It requires a shim on top of the box (under lid) for the needed space for it. You might be able to get away with a small baggie feeder just using the inner cover's rim space. Be sure to screen off any notch in the inner cover rim that would allow outside bees to get at the syrup.

Enj.


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## e-spice (Sep 21, 2013)

50 or so doesn't sound like a lot. I would give them 1:1 syrup, like you're doing. If you don't have another feeder and have an extra empty super, put the empty super on top of your inner cover and put a mason jar with very small holes in the lid upside down on the inner cover hole. Refill as needed.


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## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks all. I have a spare deep I will set it on today a put the mason jar inside the hive. Should have known to do this in the beginning but since I have never fed before I forgot about seeing this many times on Youtube.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

Pull a frame of nectar from the other hive, shake the bees off, put it right next to the cluster of the new swarm.


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## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

Since this is my first year to beekeeping, I have no other frames to offer to them. All I have is new foundation but thanks for the idea.


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## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

Notice e-spice said on top of inner cover, because unless you have an inner cover with a hole that you can set the mason jar over I wouldn't put a jar right on the top bars and feed with an empty deep over it. Since it's a swarm and they haven't really gotten started, thy may climb to the highest point and build from there and make a mess out of the box. If you don't have an innercover make a simple one out of plywood with an access hole to the mason jar.


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## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

Good idea. I have plywood and can make a temporary cover to install and cut out for the mason jar.


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## JRG13 (May 11, 2012)

You said this was a second swarm? The other swarm hasn't drawn any frames yet?


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## Joebrad (Jan 26, 2016)

JRG13, the other swarm was picked up on Friday. I haven't looked but assume not.


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