Do scout bees always preceed swarming?

[Fraise]

I have several bait hives set nearby and there is no obvious interest from scout bees so far this year. The scouts were regular visitors last year.

Does the absence of the scouts suggest that there are no nearby hives preparing to swarm?

Does anyone know how long scouts are seen before a hive swarms and is the presence of scouts a useful warning?

 

[enrico]

I wouldn't go as far a to say that you won't get a swarm without scouts but I think it is unlikely, generally I find they look for about three days but this can be weather dependant
If they need a home rapidly then it's any port in a storm, if they have a choice they can stay in their initial swarm ball for over two weeks.
E

 

[oliver90owner]

Does the absence of the scouts suggest that there are no nearby hives preparing to swarm?

Here is another alternative. It could mean there is a great deal of choice out there and your accommodation is well down the list. So might or might not

Does that answer your question?

is the presence of scouts a useful warning?

A warning for what? To check the bait hives? To check your own colonies for signs of swarming? It could be a colony two miles away!

 

[Tom Bick]

I

Does anyone know how long scouts are seen before a hive swarms and is the presence of scouts a useful warning?

Not an exact science but I have watched scout bee activity for up to six days in the past.

 

[oliver90owner]

Not an exact science

Quite right on that!.

Scouts could have come from more than one colony over that period. It would need a lot more than a single entity to be recorded to be confident of the statistics by reducing the possible error bands.

 

[Tom Bick]

Yes rab even had fighting over the same bait hive that was definitely two separate scout bees interested at the same time. I guess its possible you can get one lot give up and a 2nd lot take interest the next day but then you would think you would get a drop in activity and then the typical increase of bees over a few days and not a gradual increase in activity each day.

I think bait hives are great fun and at the moment no interest with the two set this year but then its early and new locations for me this year.