Beekeeping > Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees

cluster or beard?

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tedh:
Hey Everyone,
I hung a swarm trap this past weekend and it appears that a swarm has moved in.  There was a nice cluster/beard (approx 3lbs) hanging on the bottom of the trap a few days ago.  I knocked them into a box thinking if it was a queenlees beard they'd head back to the trap and if it was a queen right cluster they'd stay put.  They've been in their new box for 3 days now.  This morning there was a huge cluster/beard (approx 5lbs) hanging there on the bottom of the trap.  I've knocked them in to a new box thinking as I did above, they'll stay or go back.  I have no idea what's happening.  I plan to check the first box later today to check for a queen or signs of a queen, that should tell me something.  also I'll keep an eye on todays box to see what happens there. I'd like to check the trap but wanted to wait until they get moved as it will be rather involved, take it down, unscrew lid, blah blah blah. And its not my trap.  A friend put it there as we were hoping to catch a cluster that's out of reach.  The question I have right now is: I'm right, right?  If its a queenless beard they'll go back to the trap, if its a queen right cluster they'll stay put.  Right?  Ted

LazyBkpr:
YEP!!!! Unless you put eggs in the box, then some of em will stay and some will go.

tedh:
None are leaving, 2 empty drawn frames, 1 or 2 frames of honey (I cant remember right now, been a long day) and the rest were undrawn foundation. Thats how both boxes were set up.  No brood, no eggs.  I wonder if I knocked them into boxes before they had orientaion flights. I'm grasping at straws.  I've gotten into the habit of putting a queen excluder on top of the bottom board when catching clusters out of trees to prevent absconding but if there are queens in the new boxes they're probably virgin so I'll remove them. I'm thinking out loud now so should probably sign off.  Ted

Jen:
Hahaha, Ted I have never stopped thinking out loud with bees. Hubby knows when I'm pacing the back yard that I'm problem solving.

'If I do this.. then this will happen' ... maybe
'I think I'll do this, that will help them stay put' ... maybe
'I'll add some of this, that will appease them for awhile' ... maybe
'I'll give them some syrup' ... maybe
'I don't have to suit up today, this colony is soo peaceful' ... maybe

LazyBkpr:
Right!!!?

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