Boosting a swarm with brood and honey frames

[Lord Viykor]

Greetings beeks,

I have a query, I got a small swarm today out oif a tree from a friend of my father's. They said the swarm was bigger a week ago, the swarm I picked up was small compared to the last one I caught.

I was planning to add a frame of brood and 2 frames of capped honey to help it along a bit. The only thing that concerns me is I have put the swarm hive next to the hive I was planning to get the brood and honey frames from.

Will this become a problem? I don't know whether the other hive will "take offence" to the new bees and attack the hive. I hoping it can be done as I'd like to be able to monitor the swarm hive to see if the queen is present and it she starts laying.

[ShaneJ]

Did you find the queen? Its possible that you got the bees left over from the original swarm.

Don't add any frames of honey to the new hive around this area as this will just invite shb. There is plenty of food about for the bees so no need to feed.

Take a few frames of capped brood from the other hive and shake all the bees off, then add them to the new hive. This won't cause any problems at all.

[BeeMaster2]

What will cause problems is if you place a small hive next to a strong hive during a dearth. Since it spring for you, you should have a good flow on and it will not be a problem. I have taken a part a hive in an old truck tool box with honey exposed every where in the hive with no problem during a good flow this was next to 9 strong hives.
The last time I removed honey in that same apiary during a dearth, by the time I got to the third hive, they started robbing real bad and I had to stop.
The flow makes all  the difference.
Jim

[Lord Viykor]

Thanks for the replies, I'll add the brood in a couple of days. It'll give me a chance to rob the donor hive as well.