Any thoughts on behaviour ?

[Bucks_Boy]

Last Summer I made a couple of bait boxes from some large 40ltr polystyrene "fish boxes" as suggested by a member of the forumn.
I had success with one of them but not the other.
I had only expected them to be a 1 season wonder ( as I only paid pennies for them ) but stacked with other equipment behind the shed they are nice and strong ready for service this year.

However, in the last 10 days I've seen loads of activity around both entrances even though I left no frames or wax in them .
I thought they may be early scouts but they do seem to spend a great deal of time at the entrance tugging at the polystyrene rather than pacing the inside measuring for curtains !.

They dont appear to be flying off with any and the holes dont seem to be getting any larger so other than perhaps a little dew collecting in the crevices ( and I have 3 large ponds which are bee-magnets ) I'm not sure what they are up to.

Can anyone offer a reasonable suggestion or are my bees just messing with me ?

 

[Midland Beek]

I don't know how you can tell the difference between scouts looking for a new home and nosey bees attracted by the scent of an old hive in anticipation of some free honey.

Perhaps a colony finds a new home long before it even issues a swarm? Perhaps honeybees only swarm when they have found a suitable home to go to?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Last Summer I made a couple of bait boxes from some large 40ltr polystyrene "fish boxes" as suggested by a member of the forumn.
I had success with one of them but not the other.
I had only expected them to be a 1 season wonder ( as I only paid pennies for them ) but stacked with other equipment behind the shed they are nice and strong ready for service this year.

However, in the last 10 days I've seen loads of activity around both entrances even though I left no frames or wax in them .
I thought they may be early scouts but they do seem to spend a great deal of time at the entrance tugging at the polystyrene rather than pacing the inside measuring for curtains !.

They dont appear to be flying off with any and the holes dont seem to be getting any larger so other than perhaps a little dew collecting in the crevices ( and I have 3 large ponds which are bee-magnets ) I'm not sure what they are up to.

Can anyone offer a reasonable suggestion or are my bees just messing with me ?

sure it not just robbing a bit of spilt honey, at entrance not going in seems to bee robber wary of going in