<Snip> >Congratulations on your first swarm! May it prosper. >Exciting, ain't it? > Shawna Roberts > Gypsy Bees > Hollister, CA Thanks for your interesting comments Shawna, I would just like to add a little advice based on my experience lately. I hived a huge swarm yesterday about 11:00am, now normally I would put them in a cardboard box turned upside down on a large sheet and prop a stone under a corner to allow the remaining bees to enter. However, as I was doing a favor for a friend I did what she asked and put them straight into a hive with drawn out frames. The swarm covered 10 BS frames and the outside of the hive was still heaving! I was on my way to the office so I decided to call my friend and tell her to meet me later with a super or two to give them more room. By 5 pm they were gone, lessons: 1. Trust your instinct, I should have given space there and then. 2. Don't leave swarms in temperatures of 28C without some shade, they were in an orchard so I have no excuse. 3. I will go back to using my empty box method, it works! We are enjoying a real heat wave at the moment here in the UK after the coldest spring in over a hundred years, there are swarms everywhere! bee happy - Ken Black " ` Bay Tree Cottage " ` 76 East St, Fritwell _- -_`-_|'\ /` Bicester, _/ / / -' `~()() Oxfordshire, England. OX6 9QF \_\ _ /\-._/\/ 00441869345725 Fax:00441869256678 / | | email: [log in to unmask] '` ^ ^