Lots of activity and buzzing but no swarm

[sheena]

Hi,

I have a brood and a half. Last week I checked the bottom of the half and there was no sign of any queen cells.

Today when the sun came out there was crazy amount of activity around the hive and they were buzzing their heads off. Raced into the house and got suited up and returned. Hive still pretty active so I sat and watched thinking a swarm must be imminent. Nothing happened. Inspected the other hives and still nothing happened. Infact it seemed to have quietened down. Checked the supers and doing nicely. ( Though not as neatly shaped as last year ..) and very busy. Didn't go into the brood area as was running low on smoke by this time. Bees just seemed to be doing their thing. Plenty of pollen going in there.

Are they thinking about swarming or could it have been something else? I'll get into the brood box tomorrow morn, weather allowing, but could it have been anything else? All was calm and happy this evening and I really don't think a swarm could have sneaked by us today

Thanks

 

[chickendave]

Didn't go into the brood area as was running low on smoke

I'm sorry I don't understand if you were doing an inspection why you would abandoned it half way through just because your smoker was going out and especially if you thought they might have swarmed
I use as little smoke on my bees as possible and use it sparingly

 

[victor meldrew]

Orientation flight of soon to be foragers ?
Happens a lot on warm sunny days

VM

 

[viridens]

It sounds as though you have a busy thriving hive. They do get excited and pile out of the hive in large numbers when a sunny spell comes along, and buzzing will be louder than usual because there are plenty of drones flying too.

So probably nothing to worry about.

 

[sheena]

Didn't go into the brood area as was running low on smoke

I'm sorry I don't understand if you were doing an inspection why you would abandoned it half way through just because your smoker was going out and especially if you thought they might have swarmed
I use as little smoke on my bees as possible and use it sparingly

When I got my bees last year it was instantly apparent that the two nucleus had completely different personalities. One was calm and needs very little smoke. This one contained a very lively bunch who even as a nucleus were pretty difficult without smoke. I've found that if the smoke runs out and i try to inspect they go crazy diving at me and that putting the hive together without smoke is very difficult and then it takes me a very long time to shake them off.

Perhaps I should have inspected them first but I thought if they were about to swarm there would be little I could do and that I should observe and be ready to catch them if they did.

Hopefully they were just very happy that the sun came out but should the rain stop today I will be in there to check up on them.

 

[Cazza]

When I got my bees last year it was instantly apparent that the two nucleus had completely different personalities. One was calm and needs very little smoke. This one contained a very lively bunch who even as a nucleus were pretty difficult without smoke. I've found that if the smoke runs out and i try to inspect they go crazy diving at me and that putting the hive together without smoke is very difficult and then it takes me a very long time to shake them off.

.

It pays to take some spare fuel and matches with you. Step away from the hive and relight.Relighting takes less than a minute, then you can carry on.
Cazza

 

[Ellem]

It pays to take some spare fuel and matches with you. Step away from the hive and relight.Relighting takes less than a minute, then you can carry on.
Cazza

or one of the long-nozzled lighters (so you can get to the bottom of the smoker can if it's just that it's gone out)

 

[VEG]

I always take a water spray with me as I have one colony that hates smoke it makes them mad as hell. I just give them a few sprays of water now and they are so much better. Plus if it is really hot you can spray the water through your veil to cool down.

 

[user 6228]

Worrying see it the first time... My bees have a " mad 1/2 hour " around mid afternoon then its back to "business as usual"