>We aimed the light
>from a  mirror (about 2' by 2') on it for about 10 minutes with no
>obvious effect and then the swarm started breaking up, taking to the
>air and it dropped all the way to the ground where we had a box
>waiting for it.

        Perhaps I didn't describe the method precisely enough.
What you want is the image of the sun just touching the upper edge of the
swarm.
Within a minute or two  -  far less than 10min  -  the swarm moves
downwards.  You keep the bright spot just on the upper edge, and the swarm
moves steadily down.  It is as though you were pushing down on the top of
the swarm.  No major fraction of the bees take to the air.  The mass of
bees should be forced down to a low branch within about 20min.

R