Smallest Swarm, What To Do???

[DB1200]

Hello all. Spring has sprung and bees are hard at it. I have hung swarm traps all around my property to catch swarms. Here in NC we are having a cold spell. Well decided to ride around and check cows and for fun just check traps. Well, on one there is this extremely small swarm. I had doubts that it was actually a swarm but thought maybe it was left overs from one that had came and decided to leave. Well I slowly look through them and there is a nice healthy queen in them. It's getting down to 37 tonight so I decide to catch them in a package hive box and store them in my house until tomorrow and the cold snap is gone. But my question is what to do? Do I install them in a nuc box with frames of brood from another hive? Do they have a chance at all? If I give them brood will there be even enough bees to keep brood alive? I almost hated to see a big healthy queen with them. Thanks for any help.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Wow, that is small. They would need brood and drawn frames so the queen can get to laying. I’d throw in a frame or two of brood WITH nurse bees. Wow.

 

[NorTracNY]

You'll need to help them with a small nuc box with a small entrance. A single frame of brood with nurse bees would be a good as well as a frame of honey & pollen. Basically get it so they don't have to forage until they are bigger.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I would probably make a queenless split and install her in it in a clip for a few days. The poor little group that came with her may not make it but if you got mostly nurse bees with your split, brood and plenty of food they might.

 

[CliffordK]

Hmmm, I was out target practicing yesterday, and there was a group of bees about that big hanging out on a board in a puddle.

I couldn't identify any one that was obviously different than any others, but I don't think I know what to look for.