A day in the life of a new keep

[Barry n Abbie]

Friday nite  drive to Digby for the night and a feed of scallops.

Saturday drive home early only to discover a large swarm in a birch tree out in the back yard weighed over with a swarm from one of my hives.

Result:  caught my first swarm in a nuc box using two frames of honey and some lemon grass oil and of course a ladder.  What a rush.  I was so excited I forgot to take pictures lol.

Now to try and get them through the winter

[Barry n Abbie]

The end result

[Perry]

AWESOME!
Hive count is going up, eh?
Be sure to move them into something bigger so they don't abscond cause of the small quarters.

[Barry n Abbie]

Is the boarding normal for this situation?

[efmesch]

To my eyes, it doesn't look like usual bearding.  With only two frames to settle on, it seems that they have chosen to sit around outside for lack of place inside.  It could also be that even with a full complement of frames, the swarm is too  big for the quarters you've given them.
Follow Perry's advice as soon as you can, with the full number of frames, built or in need of building.  If you want them to overwinter, any way you look at it, you'll need to give them a lot of frames for them to fill with stores. 

[Barry n Abbie]

Thanks.  Just finished transferring into a deep super with 8 empty frame and 2 frames of honey.  Best I can do for now.  They seem more settled and are mostly inside.  What a day

[Perry]

They'll be happy there. If you put feed on them they will draw out those other 8 frames so fast it will make your head spin.
Well done Barry.

[efmesch]

You are on your way---now is the time to take advantage of the fact that new swarms are usually the best and fastest builders of honeycomb: they build straight and make their cells of the right size for workers, since that is what they want to raise at this stage of the game.
Have you seen the queen? (even if you haven't don't worry---the fact that the swarm isn't absconding tells you that she's there.)  I ask he question because 1. It's exciting to see the queen and 2. you can see if she is a virgin or mated.

[Barry n Abbie]

Haven't seen the queen but they are quite calm so I think we are ok

[Barry n Abbie]

So this morning there are about a dozen buzzing around the tree where the swarm was yesterday.  Left overs? Cause for concern? Should I expect another swarm?


Activity in around the entrance to the new hive seems normal.  No loud buzzing or groups out front.

Thoughts?

[rwlaw]

Ya, those are the returning scouts. If there's a safety concern put them down with some soapy water in a spray bottle. If not leave em be, they'll be gone in a couple days.

[Perry]

Just a few laggards, probably scouts that weren't around when you captured the swarm. No problems.

[Barry n Abbie]

Well they are still in the hive at 6pm so I guess they are staying another night.  Thanks for all the advice everyone

[Perry]

I would be surprised if they left now. A nice home, food up above, really what more could someone ask for?

[Barry n Abbie]

Seen the new queen today on the second frame I lifted.  Still a virgin I am pretty sure but in there just the same.

Hive seems healthy and everyone was right about how fast they are building comb.  If they stay at this rate, I will be adding a second deep this weekend.

[Barry n Abbie]

So I want to relocate this hive now that it is settled but am concerned about losing the Virgin queen.  I will wait until evening to get the hive ready for a move early next morning but my question is "Is three a wait period I need to consider before moving the new hive"  (the move is 5+miles)

[Perry]

I would almost want to wait until you are sure she is mated and laying before moving unless you have no choice.

[LazyBkpr]

I'd do the same as Perry said.. Once settled in, mated and laying well, THEN I would screen them up Early in the morning, or late in the evening to move them, so all foragers are home..   When you arrive at new destination, put something in front of the hive that will make them reorient, so they dont go Zooming off before they realize they are somewhere new.  I usually just put a nuc lid or something similar in front of the entrance, leaned against the hive, and then remove it after a couple days.

[efmesch]

How far away  you want to move the hive is the main consideration.
When it's only a matter of a few meters away, you can do it in small steps of 1-2 meters every night till they reach  the final spot. The bees should have no trouble adjusting to the daily small changes of location.  Each day they will adjust within a few hours, to their new position and take it in their stride.  When dealing with a lot of hives closely parked (not your situation), don't try this since the confusion will have them wandering to other hives. 
But, as you stated, you are moving them over five miles (8 km) away, so you can make the shift in one step, over night.  They will realize that they've moved as soon as they "step outside" in the morning, and since they are outside of their flying range, there is no liklihood of their returning to their old spot.  IMHO, the "something in front of the hive" isn't essential, but it can't hurt either.
Before you move the hive at night (the preferred time, since then all the bees are home and you won't lose those in the field), use some smoke to prod them all inside the hive and be sure that you have closed the entrance well enough to keep the bees inside, but not so thoroughly that you will suffocate them (a loose rag or some screening pushsed loosely into the entrance is usually good).  Bees that get outside in the dark are generally very touchy and quick to sting.  Many of the folks on this forum can tell you stories about their experiences with bees in the dark.