Abscond – to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture.

Absconding seems to be a bigger issue in some areas than others. Personally, I can only remember one or two hives absconding in the last 10 years. I have heard from others, especially in the deep south, where they have had more abscond than stay. Here are a few tips to help reduce the chances of a newly hived swarm or cut-out absconding.

Cut-Outs

1. If you have used hive bodies and drawn comb, use them instead of new equipment.
2. If you locate the queen during the removal, cage her with no attendants and place the cage above the cutout shim between two frames with brood. Place her near the youngest brood, or preferable near eggs if there are any. If you where unable to capture the queen, skip ahead to queen “includer” step.
3. After two days, place a queen excluder between the bottom board and the lower hive body. This will act as a queen “includer” and not allow her to leave the hive. Make sure there are no other entrances.
4. Once the queen “includer” is in place, release the queen from the cage.
5. Check back in 3 to 4 days and see if the queen started laying and that some of her newly laid eggs have hatched.
6. If there is newly hatched brood, the queen “includer” can be removed.
7. Do not disturb the hive for at least a week, preferably two weeks.

Swarms

1. If you have used hive bodies and drawn comb, use them instead of new equipment.
2. Give them one frame of drawn comb if you have any, and fill the rest of the box with frame of foundation or foundationless frames.
3. If you where able to capture the queen, cage her with no attendants and place the cage in the middle of the hive body next to the frame of drawn comb. If you where unable to locate the queen, skip ahead to queen “includer” step.
4. After two days, place a queen excluder between the bottom board and the lower hive body. This will act as a queen “includer” and not allow her to leave the hive. Make sure there are no other entrances.
5. Once the queen “includer” is in place, release the queen from the cage.
6. Check back in 3 to 4 days and see if the queen started laying and that some of her newly laid eggs have hatched.
7. If there is newly hatched brood, the queen “includer” can be removed.
8. Do not disturb the hive for at least a week, preferably two weeks.