First Swarm Captured and a Second Year Hive worries

[lisbethanne]

On Tuesday afternoon I got a call from a friend of a friend with a swarm in her tree.  I captured it rather easily to my surprise and knew I got the queen because they all stayed in the super that I shook them in, even the ones that fell to the ground went into the box. I felt that was a good sign. I had a hive box set up ready because I was going to split my 1 year old hive that has really grown and kept their numbers pretty high over the winter. I live in south Texas.  I installed my swarm and left them. I have seen one or two flying in and out but not a lot. I have put an entrance reducer on and have a top feeder. Is it normal to see such minimal movement? It has been raining off and on since Tuesday so even my other hive is moving at a slow rate.  I know I should not open them for a month but I am itching to know what is going on in there. Please tell me to leave them be!

My original hive that I was going to split has so many bees in it. They do have some free frames so I think I should not worry about them splitting. I have not seen swarm cells. Total Newbee so I would just like some advice about a second year hive and a newly captured swarm.  Thank you so much!!

[10framer]

congratulations on the swarm.
i'd have a few supers ready if i were you.  second year hives and swarms tend to build up fast.
hopefully somebody closer to you can give you some specific information about your area.

[iddee]

The swarm gorged themselves on honey before leaving the mother hive. It is enough to last them 2 or 3 days, so with that and a hive top feeder, I would expect foraging to be slow, especially in bad weather.
Leave them alone for a WEEK, not a month. Give them time to lay eggs and have larva. Then it will be safe to open them.

Now, get a hive ready and make your split. It sounds like you have that under control.
Also get another hive ready, as another swarm call will be coming in shortly.

[Joe D]

Way to go with the swarm, some are harder than others, but most I have gotten were pretty easy.  Sounds like you have it covered.  Good luck to you and your bees.





Joe

[D Coates]

I grew up outside of San Antonio (Castroville) but never had bees there.  I sure do miss Cora's, Blanco Café, and the wonderful smell of those Mountain Laurels...

Congrats on hiving your first swarm  It definitely sounds like you've got them and Iddee is right about leaving them alone for a week.  I'll make one suggestion for future swarm catches.  Put a frame of open brood and eggs in there from another hive.  Be sure to shake the frame to remove the nurse bees and double check to make sure the queen isn't on there though. 

Occasionally you'll catch a swarm only to see them leave if the accommodations don't aren't exactly to their liking.  If you put a frame of open brood in there it anchors them as they raise the brood.  By the time you check on them in a week the queen should either be laying or the swarm will have active queen cells making a replacement.  Either way you know what's going on with the queen and you won't have a swarm reissue.

Definitely get some supers on your 2nd year hive as if I remember correctly you'd be in early flow right now.  Now go have some Bill Miller BBQ... because you can.

[hjon71]

Is this an episode of Diners, Drive-in, and Dives? Now I'm hungry  :-D

[sc-bee]

As said never heard leave them a lone for a month a week will do. Heck if my curiosity worried me enough that I was worried they were not still there I would even crack the top and peek  :-D. I did not say tear it down and look I said a small crack and peek.... but if you see any bees going in and out they are there ;)