A bee swarm is a natural division for large bee colonies. Insects tend to move with the queen and send out scouts to find a good spot. Therefore, bee swarming is considered a natural phenomenon that helps families reproduce. At the same time, many beekeepers are engaged in catching swarms. However, after this a logical question arises: if you caught a swarm of bees, what should you do next?
Methods for planting captured bees
To transplant captured insects into a hive, you must adhere to certain rules.It is recommended to consider the following:
- Choose warm and calm weather. At such times, insects are relatively calm, so the risk that they will bite a person is minimal. It is recommended to move the trap in the evening, when all the insects are in the nest.
- Carefully remove the top of the trap. Bees often manage to build wax tongues inside the structure. This usually happens within a day of being in a new home.
- It is important to make sure that there is no queen bee on the tongues.
- Remove the frames from the trap and inspect them. If there is no queen and the seeding is small, you need to shake off the insects and put the frame aside. If there is a queen, it is recommended to install the structure in the hive.
- If, after inspecting the frames, the queen bee could not be found, this indicates that she remained in the trap. You need to get it. In this case, the insects need to be shaken out into a new hive or the queen must be caught separately and moved to the home.
- After finishing the work, you need to install the missing number of frames in the hive and cover it with a canopy and a pillow. Then the roof should be installed. If bees remain in the trap, it is recommended to place it near the new house. After some time, all the insects will fly into the hive themselves.
- After a few days, the family adapts to the new conditions. At this stage, you can conduct a first inspection of the home.
Beekeepers' Tips
So that a novice beekeeper can catch a swarm of bees and successfully transplant it into the hive, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- It is recommended to catch bees in the spring - in March or April.
- It is permissible to fix the trap only on very stable trees. The branch on which it will be located should not swing even minimally.
- The trap should be placed 3-5 meters from the ground surface.
- You shouldn't count on quick results.
- It is worth checking the trap periodically to ensure its safety and cleanliness. If moths or other insects appear inside, the bees will not get there.
- If insects, pests or mold are found on certain frames before the bees move in, it is recommended to replace them with new ones.
Resettlement must be carried out 1 month before the main bribe.
Possible mistakes
If bees are moved incorrectly to a new home, you should not count on successful adaptation.
Beginning beekeepers often make various mistakes:
- The hive is not properly prepared for new residents. Before relocating bees, their new housing must be carefully equipped.
- They choose the wrong day to move. It is necessary to move bees into the hive in warm and calm weather. They will be as calm as possible and will not bite the beekeeper.
- They immediately try to move the swarm to a new home. Doing this is strictly prohibited. It is important to place the insects in a cool room for 2-3 days. This will help them calm down.
- The uterus is manually transferred to a new home. The only acceptable way to move a queen bee is to move the frame with it.
When can I put the bee trap back?
After transplanting a captured swarm, the trap should not be immediately returned to its place. It is important to take into account that not all working individuals have time to return home before dark. They can spend the night on a flower or in someone else's hive, after which they will head home. If there is a trap there, they will occupy it and live in it.In this case, the scouts will no longer be able to get close to the structure.
Therefore, before the next installation of the trap, you need to wait a few days so that the orphaned bees can return to the parent apiary.
Catching a swarm of bees has many nuances and features. To achieve the desired results, these rules should definitely be taken into account. Proper movement of insects to new housing is also important. If everything is done correctly, you will be able to get a rich harvest of high-quality honey.
