Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Martin White]

I have probably a virgin swarm in my Bait Hive since yesterday. I have all ready hived swarms x4, all caught, from my original x3 National Hives. I have put x2 into TBHives, all seem settled.
A small swarm, almost certainly a virgin swarm, has entered one of my Top Bar Bait Hives yesterday. At what stage should I move the Bait Hive, without endangering the Virgin Queen, when she leaves to mate. When should I try to transfer them to a new TBH. The TBH will be placed about 80 Meters from where the current Bait Hive is?

Martin

[Barbara]

I would do it on a warm evening when the bees have stopped flying ideally in the next few days. I would screw 2 laths perpendicular to the top bars, so that you can lift all the top bars in the bait box together with the cluster hanging underneath at one go and put them straight into the TBH with minimal disturbance to the cluster itself. Bearing in mind that a cast swarm may be more likely to be in a corner rather than hanging more centrally so make sure you knock any clumps of stragglers left in the bait box into the hive. Close up and leave them to settle. If you do it within a few days of them swarming they should re-orientate to the new location but you could put a leafy branch over the entrance or a twist of grass loosely in the entrance hole to make them aware of the change if it is longer than a few days. Keep the entrance at only one hole for a cast.

Well done on catching and hiving the other swarms. Sounds like you are on a roll!