How do I catch these!!

[Rob55]

Just woken up to find this, any tips on how best to shake them into a box? I have a poly bait hive set up about 70yards away and there's a couple of bees in and around the entrance, would it be a safe bet to just leave them to it or should I have a crack at catching them?

 

[thebhoy]

Put a cardboard box above them and use a little bit of smoke to drive them up into it.....once the queen is in the rest will follow.You can then run the queen into your bait hive.

Or...you could move your bait hive to them and as it is a poly support the BB above them and then use a little smoke, once they are inside put the bb back on its floor.......the flyers / scouts should follow into the box.

Either way I would try to catch rather than take the chance they might be take off elsewhere

 

[Mike a]

I'd put down an old bed sheet or something on the grass then use your bait hive. Tilt the pallet over and gently brush the majority in before closing it up and leaving the nuc in place on the sheet and the rest of the bees will find the entrance provided you've got the queen inside.

It shouldn't be a problem to move the hive back into your apiary this evening but only because they have recently swarmed. Any other time the 3 foot 3 mile should be applied.

 

[snoop]

Go catch them

 

[Luminos]

I would catch them - especially if they're yours

 

[alldigging]

A sheet and raising the box up seems to do the trick for those you don't get in the box straight away.

 

[Cazza]

I'd put down an old bed sheet or something on the grass then use your bait hive. Tilt the pallet over and gently brush the majority in before closing it up and leaving the nuc in place on the sheet and the rest of the bees will find the entrance provided you've got the queen inside.

It shouldn't be a problem to move the hive back into your apiary this evening but only because they have recently swarmed. Any other time the 3 foot 3 mile should be applied.

That's what I would do. Whatever you do, do something!
Cazza

 

[Rob55]

Ok folks tipped what I could into the box, have about 2/3 of them inside now but the rest are now on the fence post, had a couple of goes at brushing them into the box but can't seem to get many more, so I'm letting them settle now.

Main question, should I keep the lid on or off the poly nuc?

 

[Black Comb]

Lid on.
Put some perfume into your water bottle and straight after brushing them off spray the post. This will get rid of the queen pheromone on the post and encourage them to go looking for her.

Just a little strong perfume into the full water bottle will suffice.

 

[MJBee]

As above.

If you have got the queen into the Nuc the other bees will find her and cluster on/go into the Nuc - Look for bees with their bums in the air fanning.
If the queen is still on the post the bees in the nuc will leave and rejoin her. If that happens try again.

Good fun this beekeeping lark innit?

 

[Mike a]

Lid on

You should start to see the bees on post running around looking frantically for the queen. If they remain nicely clustered chances are the queen or a virgin/s is still on the post and it would be a good idea to gently brush them onto something like a frame and tap them off in front of the entrance to the nuc and they will find their way inside.

 

[Rob55]

When I brushed them they didn't seem to fall they all went into a cloud in the air and then regrouped on the post, will leave them for an hour to see what happens. Hopefully the queen is inside, but things got a bit manic and there were bees everywhere so feck knows lol

 

[Cazza]

When I brushed them they didn't seem to fall they all went into a cloud in the air and then regrouped on the post, will leave them for an hour to see what happens. Hopefully the queen is inside, but things got a bit manic and there were bees everywhere so feck knows lol

The bees will join the queen wherever she is, you will soon find out.
Cazza

 

[Rob55]

All off the post now and going into the nuc

 

[TOBY-3652]

looks like you got the queen in there this time

 

[Luminos]

You can have a stiff drink now

 

[beeno]

You can have a stiff drink now

Hi Rob55,
Well done. Too early for any alcohol though unless one of those twiddly bits on the entrance hole includes a queen excluder disc.

 

[Rob55]

Few questions to those with the experience:

1. Should I put the entrance disk round so the queen excluder is in place, as a bit of insurance?

2. The hive they left was low on stores so I think they will need a feed, how long should I leave before feeding and is it 1:1 or stronger 2:1 to get them drawing out the foundation?

3. I have 3 frames in there at the mo, had a very quick peak and it looks like they are attempting to draw wild comb off the Perspex crown board, I have 3 more frames of foundation ready to fill the box up with, any idea when I should put these in?

4. I have cardboard blocking the OMF, should I leave it in there for the time being or get it whipped out soon? I spilt a swarm lure on it and it probably reeks of pheromone, though the damp side is facing downwards so the bees shouldn't come in contact with it.

Delighted so far!

 

[SixFooter]

In mho
1) I guess so, but I dont use this type of entrance. I have collected many swarms and only had 2 abscond.
2) Feed in 2 days' time so the bees use up the stores they brought with them
3) ASAP, but no need to panic. Tomorrow, when you get your breath back
4) I usually leave the omf covered until it goes dark.
Normally I wait until it goes dark, Open up the floor and take them to a different apiary.

 

[Rob55]

Ok so last night I moved the hive about 25 feet onto its new stand, and rotated the entrance disc so the QE is covering the entrance to keep her majesty in residence. Today there is quite a beard of bees on the front of the the nuc and a very small clump back on the end of the pallet. I assume some of the flying bees have returned to the site of the nuc yesterday and are now a bit disorientated. If I just leave them to it for a day or two I presume it will all sort itself out?