Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[barshambees]

I had a secondary swarm / cast with a virgin queen 7 days ago and managed to catch it. They came from a framed national. I didn't have time to finish my next TBH before the swarm.

I housed them temporarily in a plastic box with some top bars laid across the top as that's all I had at the time. I had drilled a hole and put one of those disc entrance doors on the box. They seem quite happy at the moment, and have got some insulation round the top and sides.

My question is - do I leave them there for longer or shall I transfer to my finished HTBH now.

To make things easy I temporarily fixed 2 lots of 6 bars together so I could cover them up quickly. So in theory I could move the colony across pretty much in one swoop apart from the airborne. ( I know fixing them together is at least unusual, but I had delicate wax starter strips David Head style, and they were much easier to manouver on top without damage .... It seemed to work. I just have to remove one tiny screw from each bar).

[Dexter's shed]

if you move them at dusk on a warm day, you shouldn't have any flying bees, then shut them in till following morning

[barshambees]

Thank you. That would make sense. I was worried that the Queen might be on a mating flight and would not find her way back in. Today is the first dry warm day really after the swarm so fingers crossed she will "do her stuff" today.

[rmcpb]

Make sure the entrance of your new hive is in the same position as that of the old one. They will make the change asily if that is the case.

Cheers
Rob.

[barshambees]

Will do. Thank you.