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