# First swarm capture

**URL:** <https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/first-swarm-capture/34070>\
**Category:** General Bee Chat\
**Tags:** australia, nsw-new-south-wales\
**Created:** [December 7, 2022, 9:41pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/first-swarm-capture/34070 "2022-12-07T21:41:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Dawn\_SD](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.honeyflow.com/dawn_sd/32/15954_2.png) [@Dawn\_SD](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Dawn_SD)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2023, 12:44pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/first-swarm-capture/34070/25 "2023-10-12T12:44:56Z")

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> [@JeffH](#):
>
> It must be because bees contain protein. Just a single dead bee can smell terrible if you get it close to your nose, as I found out one day, which is why I remove them.

The bad smell is from oleic acid. @JeffH is right, bees find it repellent. I would remove them too 😉

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**Author:** ![Eva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@Eva](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Eva)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/first-swarm-capture/34070/26 "2023-10-13T13:14:56Z")

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> [@Outbeck](#):
>
> Maybe I’ll hoist one up high tomorrow as a last-ditch effort

I’ve done this with success in the past so I encourage you to give it a try! If it’s not too cold you could place a frame of open brood between frames of mostly drawn comb so it’s better insulated from temp & movement, in a lightweight box that is closed on the bottom and with a partly open top (or all the way open/off altogether if warm enough) and hoist it to just under or next to the swarm. If you can manage that the bees will move in in no time.

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**Author:** ![Outbeck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/cab0a1/32.png) [@Outbeck](https://forum.honeyflow.com/u/Outbeck)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2023, 7:23am UTC](https://forum.honeyflow.com/t/first-swarm-capture/34070/27 "2023-10-21T07:23:01Z")

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Just an update! The swarm stayed in the tree for over a week and endured 10mm of rain one night. I had several swarm members visiting the bait hive they originally went into on a daily basis. I think they were getting a little respite from the weather. I gave them a few drops of sugar syrup on top of the frames to keep them going. More and more turned up for the free feed and I hoped they might migrate down. I also added more hives about the place and put them higher but there was only passing interest. A few times I saw a number of scouts about. I think the issue was height rather than dead bees (the dead bees were months old - pulled out of cobwebs that cover every inch of the place pretty much). I totally agree - recently dead bees reek. I will, however, leave it out of my unsuccessful formula.  
Sadly, the swarm left on Thursday when the weather was finally favourable. It was about 1/3 -1/4 the size of the original. I think the birds and at least one blue tongue (AKA shingle-back) feasted on the bees dropping out of the cluster onto the ground below. I haven’t seen a swarm move like this one. They were all over the shop and spread too far and wide so I suspect they didn’t all make it to wherever they intended 😟

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