Worldwide Beekeeping
Beekeeping => Swarms, Cut Outs, Trap Outs and Bee Trees => Topic started by: Mosti on April 17, 2017, 09:13:13 am
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Swarm trapped, moved, absconded. 2 days later another swarm moves in the same empty nuc, another 2 days later and they abscond again. 2 swarms absconded from the same nuc.
Nuc looks ok to me but something is bothering them.
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The size of the nuc box would be my guess. If it's not going to be big enough to accommodate an entire colony it will be used as a stepping stone. Bummer! :sad:
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I don't think it's the problem, it wasn't a big swarm.
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I may be wrong Mosti, but no matter the size of the swarm, they would look at the available space and its potential to be able to house a thriving colony, and if it appears to be too small for that, they might well move on. Just my theory.
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I quit using 5 frame nuc boxes for swarm traps because of what Perry said, wrnt to 10 frame deeps and haven't had that problem. What i agreed with Perry :o Jack
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I will second the nuc box being too small for a swarm trap.
Are you using any kind of lure?.........lemon grass oil?......just a drop will go a long way, too much will also drive them out also.
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This is just a regular used nuc. I have hived swarms in them before and never had them abscond.
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I had a 10 frame swarm trap last year that had two swarms abscond, when i took it down early this spring to clean it up i found a nest of dead RED Wasp in the back corner. :o Glad they were dead :yes:they can get your attention in a hurry. Now i know what happened. Jack
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It could be that they where annoyed by a leafy branch hitting their nuc with a certain wind. Don't know. I'll check it out.
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I lock all swarms down for 2-3 days minimum. I might put a small swarm in a nuc but when I unlock them they go into a single deep.
a swarm I caught 3 weeks ago was large enough that I had to put them in a double deep.
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I lock all swarms down for 2-3 days minimum. I might put a small swarm in a nuc but when I unlock them they go into a single deep.
a swarm I caught 3 weeks ago was large enough that I had to put them in a double deep.
Never knew that this could be done. Do you feed them? And how?
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mosti, like rober, i typically hive a large swarm in a hive deep.
feed, i do give them a little 1:1 sugar syrup.