Confused Tree bumble bee?

[bontbee]

Hi,

Not sure if I should have put this on this section or not, but anyway...

One of my colleagues has had 20 - 30 tree bumblebees (positive ID) loitering outside one of her hives for a week. The hive in question has swarmed, and she calculates that the first new queen emerged on 30th...

I have my own idea as to why the bumbles are behaving like this, as suggested by the title, but it seems a bit wacky - even to me.

I'd love to hear your suggestions as to what might be going on?

thanks

 

[Rich0909]

I have the same thing, a small group of tree bumbles - presumably drones - constantly circling a hive with a virgin (or newly mated) queen. I guess the pheromones are similar....

Rich

 

[Heather]

My tree bumble colony from my apidea has gone.. left nest. Early demise?

 

[BrianO]

I posted on this recently, observed 3 Bombus Terrestris buzzing around entrance to recently hiven Nuc. two of them entered unchallenged , one came back out after a minute, the other was not to be seen the 5 minutes I remained watching.

At mu own recently hived Nuc yesterday saw also a B.Terr. hovering around the entrance.