Post by Deleted on May 28, 2008 20:13:15 GMT -7
I have just hived a two - three pound swarm of honey bees and am wondering what I should do next?
This all started on Saturday. I saw a lot of bees swarming and then they finally settled in one of my apple trees. Its a semi-dwarf tree so I put on my suit and went out their and tried to put them in a super. No luck. The more I put in the box the more bees started flying around. I gave up when the thunderstorms rolled in. I figured I would leave the hive right next to the tree about a foot down from the swarm and maybe the rain, thunder and lightening would invite them to take cover. I checked the next morning and they were all back on the tree. Since I have three empty hives out in my orchard I decided to let them pick their own hive. Well that was Sunday and now it is Wednesday and it has rained pretty much nonstop. My husband asked if I was going to try again? I put on the suit, took some honey, a top feeder, sugar water and a box top out to their apple tree. I honeyed up the frames. I knocked the bees into the box top while it was raining and put them into the hive. I poured more honey all over them (I read on the Internet it would help them stick to the hive). I put the top feeder on and poured in the sugar syrup and put the branch that I had cut off of the tree leading up to the hive. I hope in the morning they are still in there, but I don't know. My husband says they are collecting again on the tree. Those could be the stragglers just smelling the queens scent - I hope. If they stay in the hive, when should I put the two missing frames back into the hive? I have never had a swarm that just wants to hang out in the rain and get wet.
This all started on Saturday. I saw a lot of bees swarming and then they finally settled in one of my apple trees. Its a semi-dwarf tree so I put on my suit and went out their and tried to put them in a super. No luck. The more I put in the box the more bees started flying around. I gave up when the thunderstorms rolled in. I figured I would leave the hive right next to the tree about a foot down from the swarm and maybe the rain, thunder and lightening would invite them to take cover. I checked the next morning and they were all back on the tree. Since I have three empty hives out in my orchard I decided to let them pick their own hive. Well that was Sunday and now it is Wednesday and it has rained pretty much nonstop. My husband asked if I was going to try again? I put on the suit, took some honey, a top feeder, sugar water and a box top out to their apple tree. I honeyed up the frames. I knocked the bees into the box top while it was raining and put them into the hive. I poured more honey all over them (I read on the Internet it would help them stick to the hive). I put the top feeder on and poured in the sugar syrup and put the branch that I had cut off of the tree leading up to the hive. I hope in the morning they are still in there, but I don't know. My husband says they are collecting again on the tree. Those could be the stragglers just smelling the queens scent - I hope. If they stay in the hive, when should I put the two missing frames back into the hive? I have never had a swarm that just wants to hang out in the rain and get wet.