Apologies but another swarm scenario

[maddydog]

Initiated an AS on one of my home colonies 12 days ago. Watched them swarm on Sunday, caught the swarm and left them fanning in a box to catch stragglers. Inspected original hive to find marked qc recently hatched and a missed emergency qc. Destroyed said qc as I wanted to unite remains of colony. Whilst inspecting another colony the original hive became much busier with a lot of bees on the outside signalling for their sisters. Checked the swarm box and it was empty, they had not returned to the original swarm spot. All this within no more than an hour?

Any suggestions? Did the newly hatched q not leave with the swarm, hence they returned to the hive? Something else? Behavior the next day was as you would expect with a q+ colony.

Thanks

 

[beeno]

Hi there,
That sounds logical, so they should stay put unless you missed another emergency cell. Let us know how it goes.

 

[YorkshireBees]

Initiated an AS on one of my home colonies 12 days ago. Watched them swarm on Sunday, caught the swarm and left them fanning in a box to catch stragglers. Inspected original hive to find marked qc recently hatched and a missed emergency qc. Destroyed said qc as I wanted to unite remains of colony. Whilst inspecting another colony the original hive became much busier with a lot of bees on the outside signalling for their sisters. Checked the swarm box and it was empty, they had not returned to the original swarm spot. All this within no more than an hour?

Any suggestions? Did the newly hatched q not leave with the swarm, hence they returned to the hive? Something else? Behavior the next day was as you would expect with a q+ colony.

Thanks

You will know when you have seen a swarm issue from a hive. I would not describe it as busy but a black cloud coming from the hive and thousands of bees in the air.
What you describe sounds more like the bees giving off a scent to help a queen find her home after a mating flight.

 

[maddydog]

Hi I'm sure it was a swarm. huge cloud of bees, swirling and making a roaring noise. when they settled they formed a smallish rugby ball shape. Wondering why they returned to the hive after being caught and will they stay now I've removed the offending emergency qc?

 

[enrico]

If for some reason the queen got killed between leaving the hive and you putting them in a box then they will return to the original hive, or...... The queen took flight again and went home. It happens!
E

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

could be a mating flight - it does happen whatever some say