> I had a hive swarm on me in September. I captured the swarm and > boxed them. I fed them all the sugar water they would take. They put > honey up in one shallow super and layed some on the frames in the > deep. They were also able to put in a fair amount of late season > goldenrod pollen. In New Hampshire this will probably not get them > through the winter. It would probably be best if you re-combined the hives, and split them again in the spring if you want another hive. It sounds like the swarm is doomed anyway, and a big mother hive will more likely survive than a small one. It's in the spring when undersized/underfed hives will die, since they're raising brood then (and need lots of food/energy). At this time of year they're only trying to keep a little warm and won't use much. However why did they swarm when they did? Just get overcrowded late in the game, or is there a problem (mites?) that makes them act odd? -Mike