Hiving a Swarm
Prepare a swarm kit before the swarming season begins. A complete 1½ story hive will hold a large swarm. You will need a
bottom board, a hive body complete with 10 frames of comb or foundation, a super with 10 frames of comb or foundation, an inner cover, an outer
cover and a boardman entrance feeder or a top feeder. A sheet or a piece of plywood ground cover and a pruning tool or saw will complete your
basic
swarming kit. Staple the hive parts together with hive staples for moving after the swarm enters the hive.
A swarm clustered on a low hanging branch near the ground is usually easy to hive. Place a sheet of cloth, paper or plywood on the ground under the swarm. Place the hive on the ground cover with the entrance toward the swarm. Shake the swarm off the limb onto the ground cover in front of the hive.
The bees will begin to move into the hive. Within a few minutes, after the queen enters the hive, worker bees will begin to expose their glands and fan to mark the hive. The release of the pheromone marks the new home of the colony. Bees from the swarm flying in the area will be attracted to the new home by the pheromones released by the fanning workers.
Move the hived swarm to the location you have prepared. Begin feeding the bees a mixture of two to one sugar syrup within two to three days after the swarm is hived.