I have located a bee keeper, now if I can convince my husband to let someone else with the expertise, and the important ‘outfit’ to come in take the bees and leave us the honey. They actually seem real happy here. They like lots of water and the flowers are good. Seems silly but I can walk among them in the yard and it’s like they know they’re safe. I feel safet with them....until one gets me. Then it’s the highway.
Swarm traps of approx. 40 liters (about 8-9 gallons?) are said to work best. Slightly smaller will work. 400 meters away (around 400 yards away) is about perfect distance from the swarm-throwing mother colony.
I seriously doubt they'd be throwing off any more swarms in mid-Oct. Though if there is still some pollen flow, or some small amount of nectar coming in, they might be feeling a bit crowded. Their numbers will drop off when the queen slows or stops, though if they are Italians, and the queen is young (she probably IS since virgins stay at the old colony site then mate and take over queen duties there) she might keep laying.
If they are Carniolan, then the queen will shut down production sooner, when nectar sources dry up.
Did you get close enough to get a good look at 'em? The Italians are swarthy and talk with Eye-talian accents, where as the Carnies carry small red folding pocket knives with crosses on 'em, and sound like Swiss yodelers...
Bees are usually easygoing unless they’re (a) africanized or (b) defending themselves or the hive. They’re more defensive when they have a lot of honey to defend.
Bees that are foraging away from the hive are usually not at all interested in you. My bees sting me, but only when I’m in the hive ticking them off. A few will bat at me when I’m close to the hive, but usually don’t sting.
Some unsolicited advice: unless you’re in the deep south, leave the hive alone until next spring. It’s too late in the year to move them unless you’re taking the whole hive. Even then it’s kinda iffy. They need the honey they have to survive the winter. And bees are great if you’re a gardener. Watch your fruit and veggies go hog wild.