Full on swarm in progress

[Beemail]

Popped by the hives this morning to see if all was ok. As I approached the apiary the air was thick with bees. This was about 9:30 this morning.
I have 2 commercial hives, last weekend when I did the inspection the Q was not viewable and there were no eggs visible, the hive was full of bees so didn't think a swarm had happened. I found one capped Q cell in the middle of one of the frames which I assumed was a superseedure cell so was planning to leave well alone to let them get on with it. Other hive was fine Qright with plenty of space no Q cells.

I will be going back down shortly with bee suit on to see what's happening, but I presume that I will have probably lost the vast majority of the inhabitants of that hive and that they are hanging up somewhere.

Should I put a bait hive out nearby?

When they swarm like this do they tend to hang up near the original hive (and therefore it might be a plan to search the nearby area for them) or do they swarm off miles away?

Back ground info: my second year of beekeeping, hive that has swarmed is commercial had about 5 frames of BIAS only 1 comb of foundation (all the others had been drawn), colony was from nucleus that I got last year. No super on. Apiary is in open glade in a wood.

Thanks for any advice .....

 

[Queens59]

More likely a mating flight than a swarm I should have thought? Seems a bit quick for a swarm - and with no Q in the hive why would she need to swarm as she has a hive waiting for her to mate and lay...

Go look - but don't be surprised if there is no 'swarm'...the hive was possibly just excited that the Q was off to mate...and pheromones were everywhere...

 

[Beemail]

Thanks. All may not be lost then. Was quite impressive site seeing that many bee in the air at one time.

 

[Finman]

More likely a mating flight than a swarm.

there is no mating flight swarming.
Matings happens about 14a'clock and you will not see any extra near hives.

9:30 is typical swarming time.

 

[itma]

... Was quite impressive site seeing that many bee in the air at one time.

Prudent thing would have been to have kept an eye on them until they settled.

A swarm will normally 'condense' within a very few minutes (less than 10) into a cluster "hanging out" within a few dozen yards of the hive.
Seeing where (or if) they are settling is much simpler than having to go looking for them later, if there is a lot of 'stuff' (trees, fences, sheds, other people's land...) in the neighbourhood.
Having re-grouped and made sure that HMQ is among them, they'll head off to an approved new home later. How long they take to decide depends on the availability and choice of new homes, so it could be a matter of minutes, or several days...

 

[Queens59]

Sorry Finman - my bees often get very excited as described by Beemail when a Virgin Queen flies - and I tend to get mating in the morning and swarms mid to late afternoon...hence my reply. All bees are different I guess - or mine are plain weird...I'm never sure which...

 

[itma]

...
All bees are different I guess - or mine are plain weird...I'm never sure which...

Could even be both!

 

[Beemail]

Went to see them later on and all seemed normal. Both hives busy with bees going in and out. Cannot see any bees hanging up in any of the nearby trees - but to be fair there are hundreds of trees in the vicinity.

My instinct is to leave that hive alone in case it is in e processes of supersedure and inspect next week.

Any other suggestions most welcome.

 

[beeno]

Hi Beemail,
Sorry to be the bearer of what I think is bad news. Last weeks inspection no eggs, no queen, one queen cell and seven days later a swarm. Simplest explanation is that she swarmed last week and that was the first cast you saw going! Do a full inspection tomorrow to make sure you have not missed any QCs. Leave one if you do find some more. You have five frames of capped brood. What's in the other drawn combs? Most common reasons for swarming is old queen or no room for her to lay!