Finding the Hive with Followers

[Swift Nick]

Over the last month one of more of my 5 colonies have started to follow when you leave the apiary, not always after an inspection, sometimes when you just go in that area. I also have bees pinging the veil relentlessly during inspections and buzzing around my head when working 30 foot away.
Today I have 3 queens from a reputable UK breeder arriving, they are going into prepared nucs to ease the introduction.
I think I know which hives the defensive bees come from, but I wondered if over the next two weeks before combining the nucs there was a test I could do? Opening up a hive at a time may not be the best way, as when you enter the area the pingers are on you straight away.
I thought of quietly going into the apiary over a period of 5 day’s very early before the bees are flying and each day tapping on a hive, waiting for the guards and walking away, seeing if they follow. The weather we are having will guarantee me weather the bees will come out in.
Anyone have any tried and tested methods that might work?
Thanks Nick

 

[Eyeman]

Blimey you've got a lot of free time? Sure your not disturbing them too much-only joking.
During routine inspections it's usually straight forward identifying the hive/s than need requeening- that will be the same hive that greets and meets.

 

[Wingy]

Block all but 1 hive in last thing once they are all home. Go in the morning after and test the response you will know which hive it is as that’s the only one open. Then release all hives for the day. That night do the same again leaving a different hive open and repeat until all have been individually assessed.

 

[Swift Nick]

Block all but 1 hive in last thing once they are all home. Go in the morning after and test the response you will know which hive it is as that’s the only one open. Then release all hives for the day. That night do the same again leaving a different hive open and repeat until all have been individually assessed.

Thanks, that sounds a plan, worth a few late night / early mornings to get it right.

 

[Swift Nick]

Blimey you've got a lot of free time? Sure your not disturbing them too much-only joking.
During routine inspections it's usually straight forward identifying the hive/s than need requeening- that will be the same hive that greets and meets.

Maybe it’s an experience thing, but if I go in the apiary, (it’s not a big area), yes I get met & greeted, but I can’t see where they came from. There are generally bees going all ways, then because they follow, you can’t see where they go back to.

 

[Beefriendly]

I'm assuming you mean that as you enter the vicinity of the apiary a few bees come to "greet" you.
Start at the end of your apiary and stand behind each hive for a minute or so....if the number of bees stays the same it isn't them, continue until you reach a hive where the "greeters" numbers increase. Then repeat from other end, either another day or much later on the same. If it's the same hive...bingo....I found 2 out of the 10 in my garden apiary, moved one; the other goes next week.

 

[Swift Nick]

I'm assuming you mean that as you enter the vicinity of the apiary a few bees come to "greet" you.
Start at the end of your apiary and stand behind each hive for a minute or so....if the number of bees stays the same it isn't them, continue until you reach a hive where the "greeters" numbers increase. Then repeat from other end, either another day or much later on the same. If it's the same hive...bingo....I found 2 out of the 10 in my garden apiary, moved one; the other goes next week.

Thanks, that might work for me, interestingly I just been out in the apiary adding new queens to some nucs, I thought I would lift the roof off of a hive that I was not sure if they were OK or not, my records showed then to be generally OK, they were fine, didn’t follow or ping me at all, the nice bit was in the last week and a half they had filled a super, so I added a super and still OK. Also the queen has a very consistent brood pattern, she is the daughter of a cast swarm queen I had last year, their only downside is they make lots of propolis, so hopefully she can stay.
Before I tidied away I walked over to my number 1 suspect hive and out came the pingers, which followed me 30 yards out.
So whilst the queens settle in the nuc’s I will try out your more structured method a few times and hopefully get a solid conclusion.
Thanks.