# 1st swarm pick up



## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

My friend call me yesterday evening and told me about a swarm of bees that had landed at a construction site 3 days ago. So I get there at 7am this morning and captured what looked like a large grapefruit in size. A very easy capture, scooped up most along with the bright orange queen in a 5 gal bucket. Took about 30 minutes for the others to enter the bucket.....Hived them with 10 bars and a quart size 1 to 1 and set the entrance disk for queen excluder....not sure when to check on them and not sure how long to leave the disk with that opening......Also the girls were on the smallish size....Comments ? Instructions ?

I forgot to add a comment about the smell of the swarm with the queen.....Didn't really smell like LGO, smelled more like fresh mowed summer grass....The LGO smells much sweeter


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## crmauch (Mar 3, 2016)

john beeman said:


> My friend call me yesterday evening and told me about a swarm of bees that had landed at a construction site 3 days ago. So I get there at 7am this morning and captured what looked like a large grapefruit in size. A very easy capture, scooped up most along with the bright orange queen in a 5 gal bucket. Took about 30 minutes for the others to enter the bucket.....Hived them with 10 bars and a quart size 1 to 1 and set the entrance disk for queen excluder....not sure when to check on them and not sure how long to leave the disk with that opening......Also the girls were on the smallish size....Comments ? Instructions ?
> 
> I forgot to add a comment about the smell of the swarm with the queen.....Didn't really smell like LGO, smelled more like fresh mowed summer grass....The LGO smells much sweeter


Congratulations!! Hope they do well for you!! Smaller bees sound likely to be feral, which would be good! But all my knowledge is theoretical for now.


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Congratulations on the swarm capture! Usually they will have some comb built within two-three days and you can open the disc. I would leave them alone for the first week before opening the hive to look at comb, etc. but others have checked on swarms after a couple of days with no ill effects.


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Sounds like an after swarm which always has a virgin queen the excluder will prevent her from mating.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

Slow Drone, what is your suggestion ?


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

I think he (slow drone) is suggesting that you open that entrance disk asap. 
Un-mated queen needs some drone luvin.


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

aunt betty said:


> I think he (slow drone) is suggesting that you open that entrance disk asap.
> Un-mated queen needs some drone luvin.


:thumbsup:Aunt betty is right on open up that excluder so she can mate.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

I would like her and her swarm to be a little more anchored to their new home


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

If they're gonna go they're gonna go that's just the way it is. You can leave on the excluder for three days but not more than that. If they build comb in those three days good chance they're calling it home. Feed them and stay out for 2 weeks then check for eggs and brood. The problem with excluders is if they have a mind to leave nothing will deter that and the chances are really good of them choking it up or a queen getting trampled. Just keep in mind when retrieving swarms is sometimes they stay sometimes they don't they know what's best for them so don't let it disappoint you if they don't. Swarms that don't stay I consider flighty and don't want them anyways.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

Thank you, Slow Drone, for a more detailed reply....Just before dark I open the entrance wide enough for the queen to fly out because many of the worker bees could not re-enter . They were able to leave through the queen excluder but not return....So like you say, if they go they go.....


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

I checked this swarm yesterday. They are building comb storing nectar and pollen.....There are eggs but no larvae. I am thinking this swarm has another 2 weeks to make it happen or the original bees will just die off.....I have 3# package coming tomorrow....Can I add some bees from the package or ??? What can I do to save the swarm ?


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## GaryG74 (Apr 9, 2014)

Swarms are a little different from package bees, a large portion of the swarm are younger aged bees that won't start dying off as fast as package bees. Some studies (and Dr Seeley) say swarms have mostly bees aged 3 or 4 days old to about 21 days old, the perfect age for building comb (since building comb is the first priority of a swarm so they can raise brood and store food for winter).

I wouldn't add package bees to the swarm, about 100% guarantee they will kill the new queen. The swarm should be ok. They are raising brood (eggs so far), if they need a population boost you can add a frame or two of mostly capped brood or shake a frame or two of nurse bees off frames of brood at the entrance and let them walk into the hive. Nurse bees aren't a danger to a new queen.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

Thanks, GaryG74.....Actually the small swarm are my first bees and they are in a top bar hive. I don't have any other bees to add to the swarm except some from the 3# package....I'll take your advice and not attempt adding. The swarm bees are very gentle....I hope they make it


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## Slow Drone (Apr 19, 2014)

Swarm may have had a virgin queen who has just been mated and started laying give her time they'll be okay. Swarms with mated queens also reduce feeding her to get her into flight condition sometimes it takes a little bit before she starts laying again.


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## john beeman (Feb 28, 2016)

I checked the swarm today....They didn't draw out any more comb and the capped cells are all drone....I did see the queen but couldn't find any capped brood....They are storing pollen. I don't think this swarm will make it.......


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