I lost a swarm a day or 2 ago - there were eggs when I looked yesterday.  She
was one of the queens I had intended to breed from this year so there is a
good swarm around somewhere, but not in the bait hive I had left in the area.
 Anyway her hive is now 5 nucs, each with a sealed cell plus a mini nuc in my
shed.

I take swarms and enjoy doing so. Occasionally I charge (£30) when the
householder looks as if he can afford it, but usually I do it for fun.  If I
don't know the source I usually (beekeepers do nothing invariably) hive the
swarm in an out apiary for a period of quarantine before letting them near
one of my established apiaries.

Recommended practice (don't do as I do, do as I tell you) is to hive the
swarm in a cardboard box and let them draw comb for a couple of days to use
up the possibly contaminated stores they have in their sacs.  Then hive them
on foundation and feed syrup.  Burn the box and wax. That should get rid of
most disease.

It has occurred to me, but I have not tried it, that it would be a good idea
to remove and destroy the first comb of sealed brood. The reason for this is
that the swarm will have left most varroa mites behind.  The few they have
brought with them will be desperate to breed and will occupy the first
available brood.

Of course all this will weaken the swarm and so it may not be worth while
unless you treat several the same way and combine them.

Having said all this, I have been taking swarms for a quarter of a century
this year and have yet to find any resulting disease.

Chris

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
-- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and  other info ---
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::