My first swarm.....ever!!!

[Les]

I knew they were going to blow, so glad I finally got to see a swarm! 

[Jen]

Les??    Isn't It Wonderful??!! I Love Swarms! Magical. Happy for you 

[Les]

Jen, my husband said to me that I was grinning from ear to ear for the remainder of the day......it is magical!  I am sitting here waiting for another hive to swarm.  My friends think I’m an odd one LOL!  Here’s the recovery.

[Wandering Man]

Fantastic.  Nice of them to stay low and close so you could rein them in again.

[Les]

WM I had a swarm trap set up that they were heavily investigating but a fellow beek said don’t risk it, get them in case they don’t head to the trap. 

[Wandering Man]

That was good advice.

[Jen]

Les, has your swarm stayed inside the box? When I catch a swarm I put a queen excluder between the bottom board and bottom box, that way the bees can come and go, but the queen can't get thru the queen excluder so the bees stay put. Often times they will swarm back out of the box and you have lost them.

[Les]

Jen, yes they stayed.  I gave them a frame of brood and one quart of syrup to encourage them to stay.  The queen is in the hive laying away.  Had a second swarm two nights ago. Did not find the queen as they marched into the hive so I handled this swarm differently.  I locked them in the hive and gave them a quart of syrup.  I am going in today to see if I can find her.  I will try the queen excluder if I see her!  I am running out of equipment!  I am NOT complaining LOL!