I've been reading the recent posts about swarms with interest and
decided to let the group know how we have been dealing with them.
First, visit your local veterinarian and buy a cardboard cat carrying
box. Second, take a regular deep frame that you will be using in your
hive, preferably one that has drawn comb, and put it diagonally in the
the box.
(Diagonally only because that is how it fits best in this size box.) Now
you are ready for a swarm.  Hold the box under the swarm and shake the
bees into it.  Then place the box on the ground under the area where the
swarm was. If the queen is in the box the bees will start fanning, if
the queen is not in the box the bees will most likely fly back where
they were. Just start over when they reform until you know the queen is
in the box. Then, wait about 20 minutes until the bees get nestled in
the cat box. Put your hive where you want it. Have about 4 or 5 frames
in it. Carry the cat box to the hive. Put the frame from the cat box
very carefully in the hive. The queen is most likely on the frame. Shake
the rest of the bees into the hive. Very carefully, with ungloved hands
preferably, put the rest of the frames in the hive. Put the inner cover
over 2/3s of the hive, leaving an opening in the back until evening. At
dusk position the inner cover normally and put the outer cover on. If
you have a frame of honey use that as one of the regular frames in the
box, or, use a feeder until the bees build up some honey on their own.
We have not found it necessary to use any kind of queen excluder device
using this method.

We discovered that bees like this particular cardboard box and hive up
better using this as an intermediary container before putting them in a
hive. We don't know why, it just works. The cardboard container is
lightweight and portable, has handles on top. Be sure to punch out the
round holes on the sides because the bees love to come and go.

Hope this helps,
Joan from "Sweet Soaps"
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