A late season swarm is cast, and then......

[Cindi]

Just a thought, this has probably been spoken about before, but please refresh my memory, should this be the case.  This is the scenario, judging  by a swarm that was cast and caught last fall, around the time of September 6th.  I know that in my area a late season swarm can occur....never thought it would, but the tale tells it tale.

My 10 colonies are enormous, the flow will be continuing for more than a further month, and without a doubt, this flow will still strong.  The honeyflow is a different matter.  The example being, should the colonies require any form of feeding, the feeding must stop by the 5th of October or so, otherwise there can not be the proper processing before the winter cluster.  I suspect that there may be a possibility of a swarm or two to be cast.  I am hoping that I have done enough preventative measures that one will not occur.  But....should one occur, is this following measure a possible way to ensure that the issued swarm could be brought together with the originating colony, to have this originating colony be extremely strong, heading into the wintertime.  That is what we strive for, young, strong bees to head the colony for the wintertime.

The swarm is caught, this swarm is housed for a few days in a box, the queen cells that would be nearing maturing in the originating colony destroyed, the swarm with that mother queen reunited with that colony.  I hope that my request for information is clear, if not, please advise, I will more deeply elaborate.

Would this work or not.  I need clear answers....and I know that I will get an understanding from my forum pals that have had experience with this or not, or even assumptions would be a wonderful thing.  Have a great day, a wonderful day, a wonderful life.  Cindi

[Steve M.]

I am real interested in an answer to your question because I  just got a call from my wife who says that a friend's hive just swarmed, and his wife is the only one home and doesn't know what to do.  Her husband wont be able to get home for a couple of hours.  I can be there in about an hour.  What is the best approach to keep these bees in the area until he can get to them?  Should I run over there with a cardboard box and dump them in it?

Thanks
--Steve

[Bill W.]

I joined a swarm back into its parent hive earlier this year.  They swarmed even though they weren't crowded, which left me with two weak hives.  I put the old queen in a nuc and joined them back together after a week.  No problems.

[ArmucheeBee]

BillW

When you say you put them back together...... Did you put the old queen back too, and was there a new queen created in the hive after the swarm??   I found 3 Qcells today in my small hive.  They have lots of space, only 3 full frames and I am feeding due to a dearth and their small size.

[Bill W.]

The old queen went with the swarm - I kept her as a spare and let the hive keep the new queen.