Help for Newbie

[KaraBee]

I am an infant beekeeper and just set up 2 hives on 4/26. I fed them as recommended and checked about 10 days after set up. Everything seemed great and I topped off the feeder in both. I went to check today and one hive is completely missing! Not dead...gone. Would they have swarmed? Is there a possibility that they would have gone to an existing hive in a nearby barn? Grandpa says there was a hive in there for years but that it died off last year but noticed a very large and active swarm in it a few days ago. Could these be my missing bees? Why would that happen? Please help...I don't want to lose my other hive.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

What happened is your bees absconded. New packages do that actually. Why? it can be a # of reasons from being disturbed to much, some nasty scent to them, or a few different reasons.
 Those other bees 'could' be your bees..... they are some bees.... so why not? In any case, if you can capture the swarm, do it. Is this a 'new' hive box/frames/etc? no guarantee they won't leave again, but no promise they will either.

you can put in some frames that are drawn out, or rub leaves/etc. inside the frame or rub lemon grass in it, and they tend to like it better. still no guarantee, but it helps I think. when I build new hives for myself, I always fill them with leaves and let them sit outside for at least a few days personally. Also if the hive is in a hot spot they might not like it to much/etc. entrance is good to have morning early sun, no fresh stinky new paint on the outside/etc.

[Intheswamp]

KB, if the barn that your Grandpa saw the bees in is close to where your hive was it's a pretty good shot that those bees came from your hive.  They were attracted by the wonderful scent of the old comb and cavity.  If you decide to get them out of the barn and put them back in the hive take some of the old comb and rubberband it into some empty frames.  By now I would think that they have probably started getting established and the queen has been laying and brood is in the colony.  Rubberband the brood in frames but don't try to save any of the nectar/honey comb.  They simply found a place more to their liking than the nice hive boxes you offered them.  The longer you wait to remove them from the barn and rehive them the bigger the job will be so if you're inclinded to try and rehive them in your boxes now's the best time. ;)

Best wishes,
Ed

[OldMech]

Good advice;
   Make sure you rubber band the comb in right side up..  meaning, keep it oriented the same way you cut it out, comb does have an up and down side.

   If you hived your packages on new equipment, there is also a chance that the bees were taking the syrup and storing it in the cells as fast as they built them, which would be a good reason to make them abscond, the queen had no place to lay. Once they get some brood going they usually will not abscond. Hope you can cut out that hive from the barn and refill your hive!

[KaraBee]

Yes..they are brand new hives so I will try to "dirty" it up for them and see if I can get them to move back in. Thank you! I can tell I am going to learn a lot from this forum so thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

[Intheswamp]

Uh, I don't think you're going to "get them to move back in". :)  If the bees end up back in your hive you will have had to have physically put them back in there.  The quicker you move them back to your hive the better/easier it will be.  Or, you can leave them in the barn and let them contribute to your drone population and maybe catch a swarm off of them next spring.  Reclaiming them is quiet doable, though.  ;)

Best wishes,
Ed

[Kathyp]

KaraBee, where are you?  NE oregon is a big place  :-)

[KaraBee]

Union county.

[KaraBee]

The hive appears to be up inside the walls of the barn so removing them is probably not an option.:(

[Intheswamp]

Well, getting them out of the wall depends on what the walls are made out of and how badly you want those bees. ;)

Ed

[KaraBee]

Think I'm going to have to take a loss on this one unfortunately. Don't think gramps would take too kindly to me ripping out his barn wall. Hard lesson learned but at least I know where they are and can continue to watch them.

[GSF]

At least you know where to put a swarm trap at.

[Better.to.Bee.than.not]

Good time to practice your hive removal techniques. surely better to remove them before they build their hive up over the years, now then wait until they have a huge nest all over the barn, with comb, honey, moths,beetles and varoa breeding all over the place.

[jayj200]

Just watch JP the bee man hundreds of vids to help you hone you strategy in your mind before actually the  doing. show grandad then ask. get all your equipment before asking
jay