Is absconding common with cut-out hives? I hived my only cut out of the season into a Langstroth hive, and they tried to abscond three times (I had a queen excluder in place, so each time, they returned). A week after removing the excluder, they took off again, but I was lucky enough to see it happen and then captured them. This last time, I put them in a top-bar hive (with a frame of larva and brood!), and they're still there a week later.
I'd love to hear from others who've done a few cut outs: How do you get your bees to stick around? I get the feeling they don't love being moved onto frames.
-Liz