# Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me!



## Edaw (Jan 29, 2013)

Ok so it's not that bad, but here it goes. I caught my first ever swarm earlier this year. I put a queen excluder on, being the smart beek I am, to keep the queen in. Well after they left me high and dry a local mentor told me the queen of a swarm would most likely be able to fit through an excluder. Lesson learned right. 
Well just the other day I preformed my first cut out. It could not have been any easier. Super calm bees, some good comb with brood. Bees and the queen were in the hive in no time flat. I was flying high. I told my wife as we were doing it that I thought about putting a queen excluder on to keep her in however since there was brood (and I am an expert beek(obviously))I didn't feel that was necessary. Wrong! Went and checked on them today and they had all but cleared out.  ok I'm done ranting. But next time ill know! Lesson learned!


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

Hard way to learn,,,but are you using the same box to hive them in?
If so maybe there is a smell in it that they run from.
Next time try to use some lemon grass oil rubbed around the inside of the hive.
Good Luck


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## Edaw (Jan 29, 2013)

I was using some of the same components. Ill try that.


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## Ben Franklin (May 3, 2011)

I use lemon grass oil for bait boxes too. I just caught two swarms this week.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>But next time ill know! Lesson learned! 

What will you know? If they really want to leave they do. I've found it helps if they decided to move in rather than me dumping them in...


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