Explanation please

[Galaxy55]

Inspected my bees today - while getting ready to inspect a hive appeared to swarm and settle in a tree about 15 feet up. Gave them time to settle and inspected the other hives. As I was finishing the inspections I noticed a large number of bees on the front of another hive (a hive that was waiting for a QC to hatch) When I took a closer look it wasn't another swarm but the bees from up the tree had decided to make this hive theirs. Has anyone experienced anything like this before??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Inspected my bees today - while getting ready to inspect a hive appeared to swarm and settle in a tree about 15 feet up. Gave them time to settle and inspected the other hives. As I was finishing the inspections I noticed a large number of bees on the front of another hive (a hive that was waiting for a QC to hatch) When I took a closer look it wasn't another swarm but the bees from up the tree had decided to make this hive theirs. Has anyone experienced anything like this before??

are you sure they didn't come out of that hive to begin with - sounds like a mating swarm to me.

 

[Brigsy]

Without diverting too much, I've not read about mating swarms, do a number of workers go out with Virgin queens then?

 

[Galaxy55]

At the beginning of the inspection watched the bees (swarm??) and identified the hive where all the activity was happening,saw them settle in a tree and then at the end of the inspection a different hive had a cluster of bees on the front of it, only half a dozen bees left in the tree which then proceeded to file into the hive. Couldn't believe it myself.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Without diverting too much, I've not read about mating swarms, do a number of workers go out with Virgin queens then?

According to Tautz/Seeley....can't remember who
Virgin queens are accompanied by experienced foragers who know where the DCAs are

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

A group of escorts usually go with the queen to 'run interference' but sometimes the bees get a bit over excited and they all pour out after her (a few times I've seen it the apiary was black with bees)but they don't go far before they realise what they've done so they all return to the hive.
I had one nuc awaiting a queen mating once and they did it three days on the trot.I was working on something at the apairy so saw it all - I managed to run back to the house and get my camera to capture the sheepish return of the 'swarm' the last picture is the last ones going back in

 

[Erichalfbee]

That's really good
Lovely pictures
Should be a Sticky

 

[Galaxy55]

Here is a short video of the bees on the front of the hive

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[Galaxy55]

A group of escorts usually go with the queen to 'run interference' but sometimes the bees get a bit over excited and they all pour out after her (a few times I've seen it the apiary was black with bees)but they don't go far before they realise what they've done so they all return to the hive.
I had one nuc awaiting a queen mating once and they did it three days on the trot.I was working on something at the apairy so saw it all - I managed to run back to the house and get my camera to capture the sheepish return of the 'swarm' the last picture is the last ones going back in

Possibly was something like this JBM

 

[Brigsy]

Very interesting. Thanks.

 

[Michael Palmer]

Could it be a usurpation swarm? Has anyone experienced these in the British Isles? Very common in the southwest with africans. Also happens in the east with non-africans...I've seen a video of it happening...Wyatt Magnum

 

[Erichalfbee]

I had never heard of that. Thanks.
Somebody here reported bees taking over an existing small colony
I hope they read this and contribute

 

[madasafish]

I had never heard of that. Thanks.
Somebody here reported bees taking over an existing small colony
I hope they read this and contribute

Our Association apiary had that. A caste took over an occupied apidea...Overflowed.. but stayed there. Housed complete in a polynuc( and eventually removed and re-housed properly)

 

[Motobiman]

Yes I read somewhere that if the swarm gets 'lost' and the pheromones of a queen are weak, they will sometimes take over an existing hive.

 

[Galaxy55]

Thanks for the information Michael. Never heard of this before but just looked at a couple of videos on utube and in my opinion was more likely to be this. Usurpation swarm - they picked on hive that didn't have a queen, clustered on the front of the hive and began to march in, going to check on them again today.

 

[Galaxy55]

All seemed reasonably quiet today apart from a noticeable increase in drone activity at the entrance of the hive. Decided not to open the hive and leave them to get on with what ever they are doing until next week when I will do my regular 7 day inspection.

 

[Michael Palmer]

It will be interesting to see what queen is in there. Do you mark your queens?