Didn't expect to see this....

[Scammell]

So got back from work tonight and as always went up to see what the bees were up to... Was about 6 - 6.30 so wasn't expecting much.
Quite surprised to see lots of activity round the entrances of all three hives and even pollen going in.
Warm evening and plenty of Ivy still in flower within our own hedgerows so maybe not that unusual.
However the picture below is what I found really unusual..... This was taken at 8.30 ish this eve...
Have spoken to B+ and have come to the conclusion that it is a case of overcrowding.... This is my strongest colony and with a full brood box and a super packed with stores ready for winter I guess its getting a little tight in there.
Have some drawn super frames recently extracted and stored ready for next season so will stick them in over the weekend and see where we go from there.

 

[Eyeman]

Looks like a clipped queen tried to swarm and she and her followers are under your OMF.

 

[Scammell]

Looks like a clipped queen tried to swarm and she and her followers are under your OMF.

Well the queen isn't clipped in this one so if she is there she has come out the entrance...... But it might be the case.
As for swarming... A bit late in the year for that but I guess its possible.
If so lets hope she finds her way back from whence she came.

 

[Eyeman]

Hi
Do you have an underfloor entrance or a front entrance.
If its a front entrance then you have have acquired a swarm from somewhere else.

 

[Millet]

 

[user 6228]

1) It's just the ivy flow.
2) It's a visiting swarm.
3) The queen is outside.

Any one is possible, my bet is on number 1, but that doesn't stop it being one of the others.

 

[B+.]

have come to the conclusion that it is a case of overcrowding

Wow - there are a lot more bees there than I appreciated when we spoke. It does look like a swarm, doesn't it?
I suggest that you go through the brood chamber before doing anything with the cluster - just to establish that your queen is still present. I suggested that Scammell adds extra space under the brood box which, he tells me, is very full of stores. This may be enough and the bees may go in of their own volition.

 

[victor meldrew]

A swarm in September is one to remember !
A swarm in October ? Not when your sober !


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[user 6228]

how about this the ivy flow caused a bit of congestion at the entrance a few go underneath instead and this then causes a chain reaction.

brush them a way and close up the space around the stand to stop them finding the underside of the mesh again

 

[REDWOOD]

The only real answer is to open the hive and see how congested they are, are they Buckfast bees ?

 

[Scammell]

The only real answer is to open the hive and see how congested they are, are they Buckfast bees ?

Yes Buckfast.....

Will be taking a look tomorrow as I don't want to open it up when I get home from work this eve.. Hopefully all will be well

 

[SavvySalli]

I have a similar problem, only far more bees, they're all over the hive. I've just posted a question about it all, and now reading this thread I'm panicking! Mine are bringing in a lot of pollen, different colours - there are a lot of dandelions and their relatives out in the field at the moment, as well as the ivy.

 

[Scammell]

All change this evening.... some very funny behaviour going on...

Bees no longer hanging swarm like under the hive which I feel a bit better about
Lss than half the number of bees that were underneath are now on the front of the hive.
Also now have them clinging to one leg of the stand.
However far less bees outside the hive overall