it appears that the swarm is settling in nicely. although i did not have any built out frames for them, they drank a cup of sugar/water and this time it did the trick. thank you all for the advice/suggestions. david flathman charleston sc :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/BEE-L for rules, FAQ and other info --- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::