Welcome back to the Bee Sanctuary! It’s April 2025, and Johannesburg has just come off two weeks of solid rain. Unusually for this time of year, we were called to a property where a colony had completely abandoned its nest in a rockery and was huddling in a nearby tree.

This is a high-stakes moment for the African honeybee (Apis mellifera scutellata). Entering winter without a stored honey supply or a warm cavity is a desperate bid for survival. Swarming is their primary strategy, but doing so in April is a race against the cold.

The Rescue: A Gentle Hand-Off

Because this swarm was brand new and had “nothing to protect,” they were incredibly calm.

• Manual Removal: While we often use the Bee Vac, a calm swarm like this allows for a more gentle, hand-only approach. I laid down a large white sheet so I could easily spot the bees (and the Queen) if they fell.
• The Fanning Signal: Once the bulk of the cluster was in the box, the workers began fanning their pheromones. This tells the stragglers exactly where the Queen is, prompting them to march into the box on their own.

The “Great Escape” and the Queen Guard

Beekeeping always has surprises. Two days after the rescue, the homeowner called to say the bees had escaped the box and were back on a branch!

• The Malfunction: They had managed to squeeze through the Queen Guard. We had to repeat the process, but this time I was determined to secure the Queen properly.
• Clipping the Queen: Ideally, I like to find and “clip” the Queen’s wing in these situations. This prevents her from flying away and taking the colony with her, effectively forcing them to accept the new “hotel” we’ve provided.

Technical Care: Winter Survival 101

Relocating a swarm in April means we have to become their primary providers.

• Internal Feeding: I installed an internal frame feeder filled with a 1:1 sugar syrup. We feed inside the box to prevent “robbing”—if we fed outside, bees from other local hives would descend on the syrup and start a war with our rescued colony.
• Thermal Management: These bees will stay in this smaller transport box throughout the winter to help them maintain that crucial internal temperature of 34.5°C. We won’t move them into a full-sized hive until the spring flow begins.

The Verdict: Persistence Pays Off

By reinforcing the Queen Guard and providing immediate food, we’ve given this “homeless” colony a fighting chance. My stubbornness in re-capturing them might just be the difference between their survival and perishing in the winter chill.

Want to see the specific feeder design we used?

Check out our Winter Maintenance Playlist for more tips on keeping your bees fed during the off-season. Don’t forget to Subscribe and hit the Like button to support our 1-million-colony mission!