Just combined two swarms, one was very small ANTS!?

[harvey]

Ok I am getting there slowly it think.  I had first caught one swarm.  Not a big one but ok.  Then a week later i find a small swarm,  three or four inches around by about eight inches.  I had the first swarm in a brood box.  I put two pieces of newspaper over that box and put another brood box on. I didn't see a queen but that doesn't mean much to me right now.  Never have seen a queen. 

While the bottom brood box was open I pulled a few frames.  Bee's seemed to be busy but I didn't see much course the frames I put in there had some comb on them?  What should I expect in a week?  There did seem to be more comb than before but I didn't see any capped cells yet.

Nobody warned me that the bees don't like it if you drop the frame back in the hive.  Next time I will be more gentle.  I think I really angry the bees off.  They all came up and said hello.  No stings though.

I set ten frames fresh from Dadent, wood with plastic center with bee's wax on them?  in the top brood box and put the lid back on.

Big Question?   There are a lot of very small black ants all around the hive and the inner cover was covered with ants?  Do I need to do anything about this or is this normal?  Thanks for all your help and advice.      :shock:

[BoBn]

Those little black ants like to raise their brood in the warm area between the metal & wood on the outer cover.  I wouldn't mind them so much, except that I seem to get them crawling all over my hands and arms.  I have a couple spare outer covers. If I have those little buggers living in the top of one of my hives, I put another outer cover on.  You might have to do this once or twice.  They don't seem to bother the bees unless you have too much open space in a hive with a small number of bees.