Is this the worst May since time began...

[masterBK]

I didn't know that Hornets could be found as far north as Cumbria

 

[jonnybeegood]

I didn't know that Hornets could be found as far north as Cumbria

Youd be suprised what can be found in cumbria

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This is underhand beekeeping, tempting away other beeks stocks for your own gain isn't right.

Tempting away!!! what nonsense. if they are interested in a bait hive they are going to swarm regardless - to look at it another way, if you're slack enough to lose a swarm, you have no right to complain if they settle in someone else's box.

 

[pargyle]

Tempting away!!! what nonsense. if they are interested in a bait hive they are going to swarm regardless - to look at it another way, if you're slack enough to lose a swarm, you have no right to complain if they settle in someone else's box.

No difference to collecting a swarm that lands somewhere without any sign of where its come from ... speaking as someone who collected a swarm with a marked queen yesterday ! There are no hives in my immediate area although there are a number within about half a mile.

The question I have is: Are swarming bees attracted to locations where there are already bees ? We've never seen any swarms around our house until now so it's a bit odd that, now I've got a few hives, a swarm settles about 30 yards away from my apiary ....

When the weather improves I may get out my divining rods and scan the area where they landed ...

 

[BeeJayBee]

... if you're slack enough to lose a swarm, you have no right to complain if they settle in someone else's box.

Or in someone else's attic!

Was recently sorting out a swarm that had settled itself in somebody's attic. The eaves weren't boxed in so they'd built comb quite tidily between the rafters where it was easy to access.

Person claiming to be a beekeeper turned up on the doorstep asking for their bees back. Said they'd lost a swarm, reckoned the colony we had carefully put into a nuc box, complete with drawn comb and larvae, was theirs!

Needless to say they went away empty handed.

Are swarming bees attracted to locations where there are already bees ?

I think so, either they like the idea of being amongst other colonies or the swarm is caught up amongst bees returning to an apiary and follow them instead of scouts?

 

[wessexmario]

The question I have is: Are swarming bees attracted to locations where there are already bees ? We've never seen any swarms around our house until now so it's a bit odd that, now I've got a few hives, a swarm settles about 30 yards away from my apiary ....

seems so. I have collected 4 swarms in the last fortnight from a neighbour's garden, all settled in the same small area which is less than 10 yards from my original two hives. Three of the swarms were in the same bush, and the other was in a patch of runner beans a couple of yards away so presumably either something about the location 'feels right' for them, or there are pheromones on the bush that is attracting passing swarms.

Having used nearly all my spare kit and hastily building an additional roof, I now have 4 hives and I suspect the other half is getting covetous about how much of the garden I'm taking over.

 

[beecology]

Tempting away!!! what nonsense. if they are interested in a bait hive they are going to swarm regardless - to look at it another way, if you're slack enough to lose a swarm, you have no right to complain if they settle in someone else's box.

I did apologise later in the thread if you had read on a bit - I thought the op was using underhand stealth tactics, which he is not.

And slackness has really nothing to do with it, every beek, no matter how experienced or vigilant can lose a swarm.

I used the word tempting, because I wonder if in the absence of suitable swarming sites, a colony that would otherwise swarm could stay put?

 

[B+.]

Are swarming bees attracted to locations where there are already bees ?

I believe so.
A couple of weeks ago I was in the apiary when I noticed that familiar buzz of a lot of bees in flight. They went straight into a stack of spare equipment.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Tempting away!!! what nonsense. if they are interested in a bait hive they are going to swarm regardless

I agree....I have a bait hive in the garden and in the apiary. I was a bit taken aback by some stranger's box in mine

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I used the word tempting, because I wonder if in the absence of suitable swarming sites, a colony that would otherwise swarm could stay put?

No, they will swarm and then look for a site. Read Lindauer's account of the Mosachs and balcony swarms (you'll find it in Seeley's 'Honeybee Democracy' as well) They just sat there and eventually died through not agreeing on a new home.

 

[psafloyd]

This is underhand beekeeping, tempting away other beeks stocks for your own gain isn't right.

If your bait hives attract bees from another apiary into your own then fair enough, but to set them out close to someone else's bees is wrong.

Put it this way, I would be royally P'd off if someone did this close to my hives

Rubbish. It's not tempting any stocks away. They're going to swarm in any case and this prevents someone being called out for a swarm collection.

I had a swarm move into a warré last week (thank you Dishmop) which was sitting in my garden. There's a great chance that could have been hanging off a copper beech in my garden had they not fancied the box, so I'm doubly happy.

Yet to check them out, but will do so over next couple of days.

 

[Fatbee]

Down in Bucks I would say May 2012 was much worse - not been a bad month for foraging around me although wouldn't mind another five degrees or so

 

[jonnybeegood]

Ive seen me 20 years ago trout fishing in snow showers in the end of may, its nothing new this year, some springs are good, some arent so good.

 

[LJH]

Hopefully things will pick up now - the start of June and decent weather forecast later in the week. Fingers crossed...

Thanks to all who posted

 

[meetballuk]

im down road from you and ive had no swarm calls, very quiet so fare this year.

 

[LJH]

im down road from you and ive had no swarm calls, very quiet so fare this year.

Good to know the wind and rain isn't just over me then!

 

[beecology]

No, they will swarm and then look for a site. Read Lindauer's account of the Mosachs and balcony swarms (you'll find it in Seeley's 'Honeybee Democracy' as well) They just sat there and eventually died through not agreeing on a new home.

That is interesting JBM, you would think the colony 'brain' would opt to play it safe rather than risk demise, though I guess the urge to reproduce by swarming rules in such circumstances

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Most scout bees get sent out after the swarm has left the hive, they don't select a new location then move out to it.

 

[Thymallus]

No, they will swarm and then look for a site. Read Lindauer's account of the Mosachs and balcony swarms (you'll find it in Seeley's 'Honeybee Democracy' as well) They just sat there and eventually died through not agreeing on a new home.

No, they didn't die they returned home. The balcony swarm described by Lindauer set of flying split into two and tried to go in two directions, but both groups failed to go the full distance. They then had a tug-of-war with each group flying off about 100m in the direction of "their" new nest but neither group dominated. They then resettled but had lost the queen. Lindauer then watched the cluster gradually disperse with the flying bees returning to their old hive.
The moosacher swarm did eventually reach a decision.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thanks for that - didn't have time to find the complete reference - I'm sure there was reference to one swarm in the 1950's which just sat there and died.