# Late Swarm



## FrankBarbee (Aug 20, 2016)

Ok, so I just went to pick up one of my swarm traps that was a few miles away from home. The last time I checked it there was no activity. Not sure how long ago that was but over a month, perhaps as far back as July. Didn't think it would attract anything that late in Central Ohio. Well, sure enough, I am halfway up the tree stand the deer hunter left up when I hear buzzing. Looked up at it and saw bees coming and going out of the opening, including a lot going in loaded with pollen. The swarm trap is just 1/4 inch plywood, so won't provide enough insulation for winter. I will be needing to build a NUC box to move them too. I will provide updates after I get that built and them moved into it.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

I've caught late summer/fall swarm over the last couple of years, none this year though. I usually give a frame or two of honey, a couple frames of drawn comb, and depending on their size and the amount of brood they have, a frame or two of capped brood. if the queen is laying good, I may leave the nurse bees on the brood frames. I try to get them built up into a deep and a medium (honey mostly) before winter. 

Good luck with them. My fall swarms usually take off and build fast the following spring.


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## JWPalmer (May 1, 2017)

Looking forward to the update. If it has been as much as two months, you might need a full sized hive for these girls. Hopefully you use frames in you traps so transferring them won't be difficult.


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## FrankBarbee (Aug 20, 2016)

There were 2 medium frames with drawn comb and 3 medium without any foundation. So it will be interesting. Will have a full size and nuc ready to go next Monday since I have to work the job that pays till then.


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## FrankBarbee (Aug 20, 2016)

Update from yesterday. Found large number of bees, with 3 full frames of honey. Large random comb built beneath the medium frames. Cut and filled another 5 frames with some capped brood, pollen and empty comb. Have 2 medium NUC boxes filled with those and another box on top now with about half gallon of 2-1 sugar water. Also found about 300-500 shb, so also put in a disposable trap for them. The worst part, I did not see the queen. Did another inspection today and still no queen, and also noticed that there was no larva either. With my glasses, I have never really been able to spot an egg in the field, only in pictures, so I usually look for the larva that is easier to spot. Capped brood, but nothing uncapped. Now I will have to find a queen.


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## FrankBarbee (Aug 20, 2016)

Here is a picture of some of the comb they had built. Closer inspection shows the capped brood on the outside with the inside being filled with honey.


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## Island beekeeper (Oct 23, 2016)

The last couple of years I have caught fall swarms here in Maine. I have saved them and after I treat my bees before winter it seems like I lose a queen. So i combine the swarm with the hive that lost the queen. It works for me.


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