How can I attract bees to colonize my hive?

There are several reasons that prevent bees from colonizing a hive. One of them is pest infestation. Such pests may include ants, wasp, and rats. If the hive has rats nesting in it, it will definitely never be colonized. Rats also leave a bad smell even after they have been removed from the hive. So first, ensure the hives are free from any pests. If there are pests clean the hive.


Secondly, have the hives waxed. In case you are using the Kenya Top Bar hives, wax the bars. For Langstroth hives, wax the frames well. The second major reason is the apiary siting. If the apiary is sited in a dampy area, it is not a conducive site for bees. Bees need a site where they can maintain right moisture content in their honey.


A third reason would be the condition of the hive. If the temperatures are too high in the hive, bees may dislike such a hive. Hives should be sited under a shade.


Lastly, the positioning of the hives can keep the bees away because they do enter hives mostly during swarming seasons. However, bees have swarming routes. These routes are high up above buildings. Try placing your hives in catcher positions (on top of trees or buildings) or use a catcher box to catch bees and transfer them into the hives.


Pack the bees in the hives



If you try all these and bees still do not enter your hives, you can put them into the hives. There are different ways of doing this, but for this operation, it is best to seek help from an experienced friend. The swarm has a better chance of staying in its new hive during a nectar flow. Do not waste time with swarms smaller than a person’s head as they cause more trouble than they are worth.


•First, prepare your hive by smearing it with some melted beeswax, so that smells nice for bees.
•Look for a swarm of bees clustering on a branch from where you can catch them. Wear your bee suit and smoke them very gently so as not to disturb them. (Do not smoke if you can avoid it!) Shake the bees into a catcher box or similar container, e.g., cardboard box.
If the queen falls into the box, the rest of the swarm will follow. Wait for 20 minutes or so. If they return to their original site, repeat the procedure once more.
•Once you have the bees, leave the box in a shady place until evening. Make sure it does not become hot in the container by covering it with a damp cloth.
•In the evening, take the bees home and shake them into your empty hive.
•If you have other hives, take out a comb with some uncapped honey and a brood comb with eggs and give them to the bees to encourage them to stay
on.


You can also colonize your hives by making colony divisions. Transfer comb with the queen cell, one other comb of brood, and two combs of food (honey and pollen) into a catcher box/new hive. Include bees on all combs. Shake in bees from other combs as well. Remember to put brood combs in the middle and honeycombs on either side to insulate the brood nest.