Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[Michupi]

I just got them a few days ago and they are now outside balled up under the hive. I don't know what to do. I dont want them to fly away...

[catchercradle]

Knock them off into a box and then tip them back into the hive.

[J Smith]

As above- basically recapturing your colony, like capturing a swarm.
Place some kind of container under the ball (clean bucket or cardboard box), knock the ball into the container and pour them back into the hive....... with strict instruction to "stay put" this time!

For some reason, your queen has either walked out onto the base of the hive after installation, or you missed getting her in the hive first time around and she walked up onto the base.
It is the queen that the bees have clustered around, forming the ball on the exterior.

Once you replace the colony in the hive, watch their activity. If the queen is inside, any bees you missed in the capture should return and enter the hive- some may recluster on the base where the ball was- you can capture and place these back in as you have done with the initial capture, but they should leave the old site and enter the hive once you have bees "fanning" the entrance to say "hey- you lot- this is "home"".
If after you recapture and place them back inside the hive and there is a mass exodus of bees from the entrance...... we may have to look into things further, but if you succeed in getting the queen inside, the rest should fall into place.

[Michupi]

Thank you all. That is exactly what I did. She must have been in there because they all settled in just fine.
One other thing I did was take off the super. Now there is just the 8 frame brood box. I am not sure when to put on the super, how long before they need more room. It has been almost two weeks and I have been leaving them alone, but observing the entrance. I see some with lots of pollen on their legs. They seem happy. Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the input.