Mating flight

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ryan_220

New Bee
Joined
May 14, 2009
Messages
85
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0
Location
Kidderminster Worcestershire
Hive Type
WBC
Number of Hives
2 + nuc
Has anyone ever seen this befor ?
Was outside one of my hives that is going though a new queening process. I was tidying up the tree next to the hive. Then I saw two bee`s fly out stuck to each other in a C shape and went directly up into the sky.

This all happend in the matter of ten seconds mind i could be wrong but i think that is what i saw.
 
Mating normally occurs in drone congregation areas, which are specific areas where drones "hang around" awaiting a queen, so I would think it unlikely you actually witnessed a queen being mated. I would imagine it was probably a mortuary bee carrying away a now expired sister.
 
I seen something like this last week, but thought it was 2 bees having a fight.
they started off on the landing platform and then took off into the air stuck together.
I was watching the bees to see what they where bringing in, and just as i turn i just caught site of the 2 stuck together.
 

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