# Swarms



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

After a long hiatus, I decided to keep bees again, partly because married daughter expressed an interest. Bought two nucs a couple of years ago. They didn't seem to get a good start, in spite of feeding, and I didn't handle them like I should. One hive died. The other seemed to be doing well and I fed it this winter. Today I went by on the lawnmower and saw a swarm in a low cedar tree which turned out to be two small swarms. Wife was in the process of looking at them as I was preparing another hive body and and they flew off. I hurriedly prepared the hive body and got a frame with pollen and honey out of the good hive and put that in the hive body. With some effort I shook the bees into the new hive and after the dust settled I had the bees in the new hive with the bees, and have the hive moved next to the tree with the entrance facing South. Tomorrow after they have a chance to get settled in, I will put new frames and foundation and adjust the hive which is now sloping too much with the entrance up hill and hope for the best.

COWS


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When Your not set up to capture a swarm right this minute use a card board box where you can fold the lid shut. But only hold them in there about 24 hours.
I learned my second year to keep a supply of hive bodies and frames. Two near by bee keepers were always calling me to go with them to get ME a swarm or they had got a swarm and didn't want it.

They belonged to the same bee club I had joined and wanted me to make it after my first package had died the first winter and the next two I had bought were sick and had to be killed and stuff burnt.


 Al


----------



## bobp (Mar 4, 2014)

I like the corrugated plastic nuc boxes for swarms. Easy peasy...


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

If you have a strong hive give swarm some drawn comb and some brood with the nurse bees. Be sure the queen is not on frame. Young brood does not hurt the donor hive. With swarms there is no new bees for 3 weeks. The brood helps lock them in and gives them a jump start. If the bees die at natural rate you are loosing 1 or 2 percent a day with no new bees hatching. Lot of dead bees in three weeks. This will help in the amount of honey you get to harvest. On gulf coast our flow is over in early June so it is now or never to get honey harvest from a swarm. I try to get swarm up to speed fast. I have a dozen swarm boxes out now and doing well. This 3 week time for hatching brood also applies to package bees. This makes nucs with some brood better then package bees.


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Well, my hive is dead. Lots of hive beetles, I'm wondering if the bees got fed up with the hive beetles and swarmed out. I tried putting some frames, which still have honey, on some fire ant mounds in hopes the ants would clean up the combs. No joy, they did kill a hive beetle larva and ran off the hive beetles but that is all. Reinforces my opinion of the fire ants being the areas most useless insect. I wanted to save the combs, any opinions on that?

KEH


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

COWS said:


> Well, my hive is dead. Lots of hive beetles, I'm wondering if the bees got fed up with the hive beetles and swarmed out. I tried putting some frames, which still have honey, on some fire ant mounds in hopes the ants would clean up the combs. No joy, they did kill a hive beetle larva and ran off the hive beetles but that is all. Reinforces my opinion of the fire ants being the areas most useless insect. I wanted to save the combs, any opinions on that?
> 
> KEH


Bees will leave if over run with hive beetles. Perhaps hive beetles population grew after bees left. Where do you live? I am south Louisiana and hive beetles are not bad yet. You can use comb after fire ants clean them out. Try catching swarm with your empty box. Good luck.


----------



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Thanks for comments. I'm in SC. 

I think I'll knock the hive beetles of onto a fire ant mound. Next time around I'm going to make a steel support for the hive about 2 feet off the ground. Just from looking at hive beetles on internet I think I'll make a tray to fill with mineral oil under the hive and put wire mesh small enough to keep bees out but let beetles drop in. Still a work in progress.

COWS


----------



## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

My stands are 18" off the ground, made with treated 2"x6"x8' treated stuff. I also use screened bottom boards but mine is for Vorro Mites to drop thru the screen after being groomed off.

 Al


----------



## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

I go 2 cinder blocks high with 2x4 eight ft long. I think rock salt under hive helps kill hive beetles larva.Some swear by black roofing shingles on ground under hives. Larva falls on hot shingles and die. I have hives die every year from something or another. That is why you need several hives. A hive dies, no big deal. I will catch or make a new one.


----------

