>>were they rejecting the hive box? (Or, maybe I rushed things because the neighbors were watching me.) I had a similar situation 2 weeks ago. I removed a colony from a person's house wall. At home (some 15 mi away) that eveining, I shook the bees out of the bee vac box into a nuc with some of the colony's own brood and eggs (a couple of loose combs). I checked them before going to work the next morning and they seemed fine - I even located the queen on a frame. When I returned from work they were up in a nearby tree. I shook them down into the nuc again. The next morning, I lifted the nuc lid and seemed happy and had even started drawing out one frame. When I returned from work the next day, they were gone and history. The nuc was empty with abondoned brood. They could not have overheated since the nuc was in some shade and the weather was in the 70's. It's a lesson learned - can't expect a swarm or a moved colony to stay put in a new box. Next time, I'll slide an excluder under the box for a few days until the queen starts laying in the new box! Clipping the queen's wing would ensure she and the bees don't get very far should they abscond but I don't like clipping wings. Waldemar Long Island, NY -- Visit www.honeybeeworld.com/bee-l for rules, FAQ and other info ---