I did a cutout Sunday. Easy, under a shed. First year hive, white easy-to-tear comb. Bees were awesome, the most gentle hive I have ever dealt with.
I use Top Bar hives for my cutouts, a few drops of Lemon Grass Oil, and a little honey to encourage them to stay.
Video of hive here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqZlOCB2NXII got all the comb on Sunday, but the queen retreated deep under the shed. I ran out of light and patience and left the new hive there next to the old, hoping the queen et all would move in with the rest of the hive by Monday.
Monday, the queen absconded to a nearby small tree 6' up. All bees left the brood in the KTBH. I found this odd. Plan a failed. So I brushed them into the KTBH. I got the queen and the rest joined her in the KTBH.
I went to dinner while waiting for dusk. Then 1 hour later I got a call - the bees absconded again into the tree yet again. I returned 15 minutes before dusk, swept them into the KTBH yet again. AT dusk sealed her up and moved the hive to my outyard.
Is absconding so quickly normal?