bees out of hive

[newbie]

I'm not sure whats going on with my bees !
We were away for a few weeks and on my return after lovely bee weather the bees had made 6 or so queen cells which were almost sealed. The brood box was full. So yesterday from my colony (A) I made up 2 nucs (B & C)from the 10 full frames in A (each nuc had brood, honey, pollen and a queen cell) . 4 frames of brood and food were left in A
The nucs have been fed syrup and the bees are sealed inside until tomorrow morning. I also put syrup on colony A.

Later on yesterday all the bees were out of A, flying around the hive and clustering on the front of the hive, they went back inside after an hour or so, so I thought everything was ok.
This morning the bees in A were doing their usual stuff, flying in and out of the hive as usual, bringing in pollen. However this afternoon they are all out of the hive again and the sky is filled with bees, some are clustering on the front of hive A. What is going on ? I am fairly sure the queen from A is still in A, but I suppose she may have nipped onto the nuc frames when I made up the nucs, as I didn't catch her (I know I should have ..)

I am not sure what I should do...I hope the bees go back in later (the weather is hot and humid, stormy) Should I still open the entrances on the nucs tomorrow as planned ? If the queen from A has got into B or C will the bees from A find her ? - if the queen from A is still in A why are the bees behaving like they are... it's fascinating !

 

[MuswellMetro]

i would not have fed any of them, the bees will just fill up the comb with the easy syrup and the scenerio is

lots of Food+ no space as it is full of syrup= swarm mode

This could be what is happening in A as you have left quite a lot of brood in there or you could have missed a Q cell or they may have slimmed her down and want to go anyway

Also sealing up of nucs, never found this has any effect on stopping the older bees returning to the old hive just makes the bees and especially the drones p*ssed off , i just move them 3 miles ( well in my case it is 6 miles but that because it is there )

 

[newbie]

Update ...after leaving the bees to it for an hour or so they have either swarmed off or gone back into the hive ... there are about 50 going in and out and memorising the hive entrance.
Has anyone ever watched a swarm go ? do they fly about a bit and then go or do they just stream out of the hive and go at once ? - do all the flying bees go ... I supose the ones that were out foraging get left behind.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Has anyone ever watched a swarm go ? do they fly about a bit and then go or do they just stream out of the hive and go at once ? - do all the flying bees go ... I supose the ones that were out foraging get left behind

Prior to swarming a lot of foragers stay at home.
I have witnessed two of mine swarm. One last year and one this and I can report that the colony makes a lot of noise the night before they go...I thought they were busy processing nectar this year ....

When the go you see quite a few bees come out and start spreading themselves on the front of the hive....then they pour out like treacle.
Lots of bees are in the air and when they stop coming out of the hive you notice that those bees in the air start taking some sort of direction rather than just milling about in the air. That's when you need your running shoes on. Follow them, hoping they do not come to rest 30 feet up or in your neighbours pyracantha that hasn't been cut back for a hundred years .
They are quite docile and you can put your naked hand in the swarm...... quite nice, no, a wonderful experience.