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Had 3 hives make it through winter, swarming started around mid March, have captured about 8 swarms so far, missed a few possibly. Of the 8 captures have only retained 5. After placing in hive the swarm will leave and cluster on a near by tree. Have re captured many twice before they stick, some 3 times before they stick. Some have stayed in the hive overnight and them left the following day.

One swarm was recaptured twice, it then stayed overnight in the hive, then clustered the next morning in a rain storm on the concrete block under the hive. When the sun came out they then re entered the hive. on their own and spent the night there. Some time during the next day they were gone.

I have captured most with a bucket, some with a vac. Using old wood ware and a mix of old frames with combination of new foundation and old.

Overall I would guess my retention rate is about 70%.

Any advice on how to improve retention?

Do I have too many hives too close to each other? The 8 hives are spread over about a quarter of an acre on a 4 acre parcel, located in rural farming/residential mix neighborhood.

The new hive is typically located about 100 feet from the hive that generated the swarm.

I usually capture the swarm within 1 hour of it clustering.

The newly hived swarm will leave if they don't like the new home or if they have scouted another home before you catch and hive them. If you can move them more than 3 miles away and let them settle in then move them back home, that may increase the chance they will not leave. If you can put a frame of eggs and larvae in with the swarm either at the original location or after having moved them, they may be more inclined to remain and take care of the baby bees. You can also try a mechanical method of trying to get them to anchor in--using a queen includer. The includer may be a queen excluder that you put above the bottom board and below the hive body you are putting the bees in or it may be the type that goes outside the super and across the landing board. Both will let workers pass through, but prevent the queen from leaving. You MUST make sure any upper entrance is closed to prevent the queen's escape. You can remove these once the bees have anchored in. If you see the queen in a swarm and can get her in a queen catcher clip, you can put her and the clip in the super you are putting the bees in. You may need to leave out a frame depending on the design of the clip (wide wings needing space or narrow wings that would fit in the space between a frame and the bottom board). I will usually leave her in a clip for a day or two before releasing her.

I don't think the problem is with hives being too close together in general. If swarms are coming from your bees, the tendency is for them to cluster near where they came out and then search for a permanent home further away from the hive of origin. Giving them a good home before they decide on a more distant permanent location often gets them to stay, but any of the steps above will increase your chances.

Thanks Mr J

I think I'll try the excluder below the hive body method.

Putting a frame of eggs and larvae in with the swarm have done the trick for me so far. Also you may want to make sure to have your screen bottom board closed, if you are using screened bottom boards, until they settled (have brood).