# Swarm in a tree with comb



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

If its not too high off the ground smoke them, then spray with sugar syrup. Cut out brood comb with brood in it, and rubber band it into empty frames. If you can put the nuc with in a few feet of the original site and leave it there for a few days the bees will reoorient to the nuc. Late one evening after dark when all flight has ceased sneak up and put the piece of screen you precut to fit the nuc in place. Take the nuc home (keeping it as cool as you can) and take off the screen. Feed heavily to get through the winter.


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## PappyMAINEiac (Sep 23, 2006)

Place a deep box on a ladder directly under the swarm, 4 or 5 frames of drawn comb is prefered but you can use foundation. I would suit up only because they have comb. Now give the branch a good sharp yank so the majority of bee drop into the box. You will need to cut the comb off the tree being carfull not to squish the queen... You need to get her in the box... if she is not in the box, bees will recluster where she is. If the comb is not big enough to rubber band to empty frames, just puy it in the box with spacers between the combs.
There is no science to this, and it is fairly easy. Just do it. If you get them you get them. If you don't you don't. I have hived a swarm that I dropped the branch on the ground accidentlly. So i moved the branch, put the deep box with 4 frames and no bottom right on the pile of bees and covered it...left it there overnight. they took right to it. You could also cut the branch small enough to fit in a box. then add another box with frames above it. They will eventually move to the frames and you can remove the branch later.


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

All great ideas! It may seem a small distinction, but a swarm does not have comb. A feral hive has comb. The distinction determines the best way to take them home. A swarm you could just shake in your hive and take home in a few minutes. There will not yet be foragers and only a few scouts by leaving right away. 
A feral hive has comb that should be cut and secured in your hive to keep the queen interested in your new home. There are "wet" and "dry" swarms but that effects mostly behavior or defensiveness, just as the comb increases defensiveness.


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## beeware10 (Jul 25, 2010)

looks like small branches. I would just cut the branches, put it in a hive or box and put a super with drawn comb above. feed as necessary for winter and transfer in the spring. too late in the year to screw around cutting combs to put in frames. good luck


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## rbaum0519 (Mar 21, 2011)

I was think of cutting all the branches to get the complete hive off and place it in a 5 gallon honey bucket with spout. I figure once I get the hive in there I'll put the lid on and open the spount for a couple hours to catch some of the foragers. I could even hang the bucket from the tree for a day.

I could then close the spout, take them home and put them in a hive body. I have to travel about 20 miles so they will need to be sealed in the car.

What do you guys think?


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## AmericasBeekeeper (Jan 24, 2010)

I do not know how long it takes to drive the 20 miles, but you will lose a bunch if you seal them in a plastic bucket. How far can you drive with a plastic bag on your head before you pass out? Bees have respiratory systems (http://insects.tamu.edu/continuing_...assword/Internal_Anatomy_of_Honey_Bees_PN.pdf) and consume air like most living creatures. A screen would be much better. If you take them close to sundown you will only need to make one trip.


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## rbaum0519 (Mar 21, 2011)

I cut a few holes in the lid and coverd and taped them with Nylon screen. Got them home and put them in a brood box. I don't have any drawn frames so I'll be feeding them heavily.


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## Rob73 (Apr 19, 2009)

I have the same type of swarm in a tree at my house. Only it is about 20 feet up out on the end of a tree limb. Looks just like in the picture thats posted. How in the world does one get to something like that to cut it off. I really dont want to cut the whole limb down. Any tricks on getting up about 20 feet to cut some comb off a limb? I have a few tall extension ladders, but that limb wont hold it where the comb is located. Any tricks out there?


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