Swarm capture - woohoo

[agrimm01]

My wife called me at work today to tell me she was watching 1 of my 4 hives swarming and they were in a nearby tree.  I immediately left work to get home.  Sure enough the swarm stayed in a small tree very close to a nuc I have had sitting in the yard for just an occasion.  I placed the swarm in the nuc but there was so many bees I thought I should use a regular brood box.  I placed 8 new non-drawn brood frames and 2 old non-drawn frames in the box with the bees, put on sugar water and closed it up.  Then I thought about drawn frames and brood.  So I took 2 frames of brood out of the box that swarmed and replaced with new frames and placed the brood frames with the swarm.  
Was this the right way to do it?  I have only single brood boxes and wonder if I have taken too much away from the old box.  There must have been a bunch of bees in that 1 box because there still was a bunch after swarming.  Hopefully the swarm will take to the new box.  Is there anyway to ensure this?  The new box is only 30 feet from the old box.  Here are some pics.



I was going to buy 2 more nucs in a few weeks so I only need 1 if this works out.
Andy

[Kathyp]

if you are only using single deeps as brood boxes and they are swarming, you probably need to give them more room.  the hive that swarmed may swarm again if they are crowded.  by giving them empty frames, you probably bought yourself some time, but not much.

with the swarm you just hived, you can use a queen excluder between the bottom board and the box to help keep the queen in.  if you gave them brood and food, chances are they will stay.  swarms build comb quickly and the queen will start laying right away.  they may need more space soon also if it was a big swarm.

[Bee Happy]

we're on about the same paralell, I need to keep my eyes peeled.

[Highlandsfreedom]

Way to go nice save!!!!!!  Im too excited for the spring to hit up here in Colorado!!   I love the pictures too.

[bailey]

good catch! we should be seeing it here soon as well.
bailey!

[KD4MOJ]

Good catch Andy! Nice that they landed so close to the ground. I too have some nucs in the yard "just in case" since one of my hives swarmed last year. I'm in Tallahassee so I'm watching mine close since the weather has been so warm this past week. I'm probably going to do at least one split this weekend...

...DOUG
KD4MOJ

[agrimm01]

I noticed several drones on the front of the hive that swarmed a few days before it swarmed.  That should have prepared me I guess.  I just hope they stay in the box I put them in.  I would think after a few days they would be settled especially if I keep putting on sugar water.  But, what are the odds of them taking flight from their new home? 
KathyP- I think you are right.  I need to keep an eye on single brood box hives and replace filled frames with new empty frames often.  How many of the 10 frames do you think I should replace per year, 2 maybe 3 every year?

[Kathyp]

that looks like a two boxer to me.  better than constantly having to replace frames, why not add boxes?  if you need to reduce for winter, that's easy to do when the time comes.

[G3farms]

Nice catch!

Better keep your eye on them, a swarm that big can build comb really fast and out grow that single deep and swarm on you again.

G3