Hey folks,
I picked up a swarm last week after getting a call from a friend that they had a swarm in her back yard. Their yard generally has a swarm that arrives every year.
This swarm pretty well filled my 5-frame nuc (with 3 frames with foundation in place - and the other 2 were foundationless frames).
Once home, I moved the bees to a 10-frame deep, with a screened bottom board and a frame-feeder. 2 days later.. the bees absconded. Luckily, though - to a tree in my own yard. I've re-captured them, and have them back in the 5-frame nuc.. and they seem content there.
Should I have kept the bees in the 5-frame nuc longer? Any ideas as to why they absconded? Too much room? Got too cool in the evening with the screened bottom board? Or maybe they just didn't like the box.. who knows... I'll wait til they draw out the 5 frames before moving them again. By then - I hope they'll appreciate the screened bottom board.