Picked up 2nd swarm of the year tonight

[Riverrat]

I picked up a nice swarm tonight shaped like a bowling pin and about the same size. I cut the branch put them in the nuc box and waited for them to fan to call in the stragglers.  They never did fan. I haven't had that happen that I can recall. They was gentle bees and had been there from about 1 this afternoon until I picked them up at 6. Not sure what to think of this one. The only answer I might have is the queen is an unmated queen. Any ideas from the forum panel of experts

[Perry]

You could send them to me and I'll study them for a while and let you know. 

[Riverrat]

I will do that for ya but wait let me feed them up get them established and then send them your way postage paid my friend.  Wouldn't want to short ya

[rcannon]

That's what I like about this forum. The people are so good and generous.
I don't have any bees I want to get rid of, but if anyone needs some hive beetles, let me know.

[iddee]

Look them over, if they stay. You may well have several queens and they may just take off again.

[tbonekel]

Hmm. Don't have any beetles that I know of, but I hear that mites are the new bitcoins. Get 'em while you can!

[Riverrat]

Look them over, if they stay. You may well have several queens and they may just take off again.

With the entrance reduced, top feeder in place and old frames with a row of old comb as a guide they have stayed today. Going to look this weekend to see if they are drawing comb if so I will then go in and see what we have.

[Jen]

Shush with that talk Iddee or I'll send you all my swarmy queens     I wouldn't want to wish that on anyone!   

[Riverrat]

been watching them all day. Late this afternoon they started orientation flights. That's a good sign in itself

[Riverrat]

Looks like they like their  new home they are festooning  building comb and taking feed. Give it a week and we will check for brood

[Jen]

Great! So nice when they are willing to settle down.

[Riverrat]

Up date on this hive. They have an unbelievable queen she is a laying machine.  This is the swarm that didn't fan when I hived them.  I got to say its one of the better hives I have had.  They are in double deep 10 frame equipment and going like gang busters.  I may even put a super on them to catch a little of the fall flow.  You can guarantee I will be making splits with this hive come spring and possible try my hand at queen grafting. Hopefully the genetics will carry on.

[barry42001]

Very good, nice catch, with the swarm/ colony

[LazyBkpr]

If they winter good they would be great genetics to pass on! Is it spring yet? Looking forward to the grafting tale of the famous Riverrat!

[Riverrat]

Going to take an attempt at it next spring from this hive if they make it.  Never done that and its on my bucket list.

[Riverrat]

Now for the bad news I have been watching the hive for the last month since I moved over to 2 deeps.   Things was slowing down at the front door and they wasnt taking feed so I took a peek today.  Much as I figured I somehow lost the queen when I transfer them to there new home. Not sure if she had got rolled or how it happened. There is signs they produced another queen which I am hoping is as good as the queen I lost.  Hopefully i will know in a couple weeks.

[Perry]

 
It can be frustrating to have a hive just rolling along gangbusters one visit, and then inexplicably reverse the next. It happens.

[Riverrat]

Yes it does and proves no matter how much experience you have things like this can happen to anyone

[caesarsfish]

I caught a small swarm a couple of weeks ago and I think it was an unmated queen.  I put them in a nuc with one frame of honey and three frames of nice empty comb.  They stayed about two days and left.  I think she wanted to get off a vacation and go home.