# Swarm capture



## Calbears94 (Jan 24, 2014)

So I put out 6 traps in Northern California ( it was 70 today) - 2 in my backyard which are getting a ton of visitors and 4 others I put in a canyon behind my house. I went to check the other 4 today and the same thing they all had a few bees going in and out except fir one that had quite a few. I can't tell if it's a swarm because it's not the classic covered with bees... I watched for a while and I saw about 40-50 bees going in and out did I catch one?

https://vimeo.com/87322956


----------



## philip.devos (Aug 10, 2013)

Calbears94 said:


> So I put out 6 traps in Northern California ( it was 70 today) - 2 in my backyard which are getting a ton of visitors and 4 others I put in a canyon behind my house. I went to check the other 4 today and the same thing they all had a few bees going in and out except fir one that had quite a few. I can't tell if it's a swarm because it's not the classic covered with bees... I watched for a while and I saw about 40-50 bees going in and out did I catch one?
> 
> https://vimeo.com/87322956


I had one that looked similar to your video last year. You may have to go in to confirm. Mine turned out to be a small group (about 2,000 bees), and was queenless.


----------



## Calbears94 (Jan 24, 2014)

That is what I thought if it was a swarm it was small... Did they survive??? I built 4 nucs too just in case I caught some....


----------



## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

Don't do anything until you see pollen going into the trap. That is when you know you have captured a viable swarm and have a laying queen. I wish you luck... I am looking at 2 months before I will have that excitement going on here. 

http://letmbee.com/2012/05/14/what-to-do-when-your-trap-gets-a-hit-a-potential-catch/


----------



## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

If I were you I would not put a freshly caught swarm in a little nuc. Even if small they will build and expand much faster than you are used to seeing if you have only had experience with packages and nucs in the past. I never transfer into less than 2 deeps anymore. 

In my small 6 frame traps I have seen bees build them up so fast that they are out of room to draw comb after 10 days. Swarms are not stressed and disorganized like packages. They know their role and proceed towards it.... 

MAN I WISH SWARMING WAS GOING ON HERE.


----------



## Calbears94 (Jan 24, 2014)

So 1/2 my traps have no drawn comb because I didn't have any just foundation frames and some old wax laying in the trap for sent. It should take them a while to build up 5 frame nuc right?


----------



## LetMBee (Jan 4, 2012)

I have never used foundation a swarm trap only foundationless frames. The time you have depends on the size of the swarm. I use standard 10 frame boxes with 8 frames in them. I have seen bees build on all of the frames IN 1 WEEK. So for primary swarms you could get in trouble, but for later swarms it will probably be fine. The moral of the story... When you see pollen coming in.... GET THAT SWARM HIVED.

you will find out if those methods work.... Just let us know how it turns out.


----------



## beemartin (Mar 13, 2013)

I came to ask the same question  put a deadout hive that I just cleaned up on the back porch and when we came home from church today there was all kinds of activity... lots of bees coming and going. I thought it was too early for swarms here still... but it was a beautiful warm day... maybe? There are some rarely worked hives about 3/4 of a mile away from me. I hope we both caught one today Calbear!


----------

